Environment News Headlines - Yahoo! News UK

Slovenian flyer lands in France on return trip from Arctic

Thu, 23 May 2013 23:32:52 +0100

Slovenian adventurer Matevz Lenarcic landed on Thursday in Western France after having overflown the North Pole in an ultra-light plane equipped to measure air pollution.

US House sends message on Keystone pipeline

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:25:38 +0100

US lawmakers agreed to a bill that would speed construction of a Canada-US oil pipeline and circumvent the need for President Barack Obama's approval for the $5 billion project.

Dead sea lions found in Peru, poisoning suspected

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:00:27 +0100

Dead sea lions have been discovered on beaches in northern Peru amid suspicions they were poisoned by fishermen, activists and authorities said.

New EU climate policy unlikely before 2015: Poland

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:29:10 +0100

The European Union is unlikely to hammer out its new policy on global warming ahead of a global climate deal that could be clinched in 2015, Poland's environment minister said Wednesday.

Fish oil 'may lower diabetes risk'

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:10:37 +0100

Fish oil capsules might help in the fight against diabetes, according to new research.

Farmers plant rice near crippled Fukushima site

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:28:09 +0100

Farmers have resumed planting rice for market only 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, a local official said Wednesday.

EU leaders look to energy for growth boost

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:16:06 +0100

EU leaders, desperate to give growth a boost, target energy policy Wednesday amid concerns a US-led revolution in shale oil and gas development will reshape the global economy and leave Europe far behind.

Hydro power frenzy 'threatens Carpathian mountains'

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:02:49 +0100

The frenzy to build hydropower stations across the Carpathian mountains poses an "imminent" threat to biodiversity in Eastern Europe, conservationist group WWF warned Monday.

EU swimming beaches get clean bill of health

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:58:50 +0100

The vast majority of some 22,000 swimming beaches in the EU are clean and safe, the European Environment Agency said Tuesday.

China 'will not accept' carbon tax on EU flights: report

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:38:22 +0100

China will not pay for CO2 emissions by its airlines on flights within Europe, a top civil aviation official reportedly said after the European Commission warned eight Chinese firms face fines for nonpayment.

Hong Kong launches first electric taxis

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:49:33 +0100

Hong Kong saw its first electric taxis hit the streets on Saturday in a step towards reducing the city's high levels of roadside pollution.

Chinese, Indian airlines face EU pollution fines

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:58:16 +0100

Eight Chinese and two Indian airlines face fines of up to several million euros for not paying for their greenhouse gas emissions during flights within the bloc, the European Commission said on Friday.

Shrinking glaciers behind a third of sea-level rise: study

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:38:04 +0100

Water from the world's shrinking glaciers was responsible for almost a third of the rise in sea levels between 2003 and 2009, new research showed Thursday.

EU says emissions down, but pollution scheme falters

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:01:17 +0100

EU greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for global warming, dropped slightly last year but the much-vaunted system for cutting such pollution ran into even more trouble, the European Commission said on Thursday.

Canada pushes development as it takes over Arctic Council

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:43:24 +0100

Canada said Wednesday it will promote unprecedented industrial development in the far north as it takes over the helm of the Arctic Council, while activists called for a ban on oil drilling.

Space tourism won't hurt environment: Branson

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:48:06 +0100

British billionaire Richard Branson said Monday that rocket-powered space tourism flights by his firm Virgin Galactic would have only a minor impact on climate change.

Warming to hit half of plants, a third of animals

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:25:42 +0100

More than half of common species of plants and a third of animal species are likely to see their living space halved by 2080 on current trends of carbon emissions, according to a climate study.

Nations agree to phase out toxic chemical HBCD

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:33:13 +0100

Governments have agreed to phase out the use of the toxic chemical HBCD, and restrict trade in four other dangerous substances, the head of the UN's anti-pollution division said Friday.

At least 26 elephants massacred by C.African poachers

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:04:54 +0100

Heavily armed poachers have killed at least 26 elephants in the Dzanga Bai reserve, a world heritage site in south-western Central African Republic, conservationist body WWF said Friday.

Environment 'shapes individuality'

Thu, 09 May 2013 19:07:43 +0100

Early experience rather than genes forges an individual's personality, new research suggests.

Anti-whalers call for cash

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:30:09 +0100

Militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd urged supporters to dig deep Thursday as it launched its 10th harassment campaign against the Japanese fleet, saying US legal action was hitting fundraising.

Electrolysis method described for making 'green' iron

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:29:19 +0100

Scientists unveiled a new method on Wednesday for extracting metallic iron from its ore while curbing Earth-warming carbon dioxide emissions.

EU lawmakers to vote on reform of 'polluter pays'

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:25:32 +0100

EU lawmakers will vote again on controversial plans to make polluters pay more for the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, after narrowly rejecting the proposal last month, a top MEP said on Tuesday.

Hong Kong 'risks losing pink dolphins'

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:22:27 +0100

Conservationists warned that Hong Kong may lose its rare Chinese white dolphins, also known as pink dolphins for their unique colour, unless it takes urgent action against pollution and other threats.

Scientists warn of Arctic Ocean's rapid acidification

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:45:36 +0100

Scientists expressed alarm on Monday over the rapid acidification of the Arctic Ocean caused by carbon dioxide emissions, which could have dire consequences on the region's fragile ecosystem.

Japan, China, S. Korea to cooperate on air pollution

Mon, 06 May 2013 14:33:38 +0100

Japan, China and South Korea agreed Monday to continue cooperating in the fight against cross-border air pollution, despite strained relations between the neighbours because of territorial disputes.

Rising sea levels threaten migratory birds: study

Mon, 06 May 2013 07:47:05 +0100

Millions of birds that stop at coastal wetlands during annual migrations could die as rising sea levels and land reclamation wipe out their feeding grounds, researchers warned Monday.

Mekong forest facing sharp decline: WWF

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:03:15 +0100

Demand for farmland may strip the Greater Mekong region of a third of its remaining forest cover over the next two decades without swift government action, a leading conservation group warned Thursday.

New material to soak up oil spills?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:04:32 +0100

Scientists said Tuesday they had manufactured a lightweight and reusable material that can absorb up to 33 times its weight in certain chemicals -- a possible new tool against water pollution.

China becoming global climate change leader: study

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:08:29 +0100

China is rapidly assuming a global leadership role on climate change alongside the United States, a new study said Monday, but it warned greenhouse gas emissions worldwide continue to rise strongly.

Greenpeace makes appeal to Arctic oil whistleblowers

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:39:05 +0100

Environmental group Greenpeace launched a website on Wednesday to attract whistleblowers from the oil industry to reveal risks with drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic.

Greenpeace activists board coal ship off Australia reef

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:55:39 +0100

Six activists from conservation group Greenpeace boarded a coal carrier on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef Wednesday, calling for an end to exports of the fuel.

Most in US, Canada support Keystone pipeline: polls

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:41:03 +0100

A majority of both Americans and Canadians support the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to funnel oil from Alberta's tar sands to Texas refineries, according to polls Monday.

China pandas 'panicked' as forest home jolted in quake

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:09:23 +0100

Pandas living in a reserve near the epicentre of China's weekend quake clambered up trees in panic as their forest home was jolted, but none were injured, officials said Monday.

Nigerian oil theft soars to feed underground industry

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:36:46 +0100

A trail along the river banks deep in the Nigerian swamps winds through forest before arriving at a clearing, where the ground is black from oil and soot, puddles shimmering with crude.

Arguments spill in battle over Canada-US pipeline

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:35:00 +0100

Environmental versus business interests faced off Thursday in the battle over the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada's tar sands to coastal Texas.

European lawmakers tighten rules on ship-breaking industry

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:20:06 +0100

The ship-breaking industry, which critics say harms the environment and exploits low-paid workers in developing countries, faces tougher controls if plans approved by European lawmakers Thursday come into force.

Greenpeace protest over bee deaths at Swiss firm

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:54:09 +0100

Greenpeace activists claiming pesticides decimate bee populations protested Wednesday at the headquarters of Swiss agrichemical giant Syngenta, hanging a huge banner outside.

Fish out of water: coelacanth helps evolutionary probe

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:09:54 +0100

Biologists on Wednesday said they had unravelled the DNA of the coelacanth, a "living fossil" fish whose ancient lineage can shed light on how life in the sea crept onto land hundreds of millions of years ago.

Bulgaria, Romania create protected wetlands for birds

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:06:12 +0100

Bulgaria and Romania on Tuesday signed a deal to set up three wetland areas along their joint 470-kilometre (290-mile) Danube border, protecting pelicans, herons, pygmy cormorants and other birds, the environment ministry here said.