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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour delivers mixed picture on environment after one year, campaigners say
Labour's environmental record after one year in office shows 'glimmers of hope', but concerns remain over nature and anti-protest policies, green groups said. Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth together assessed the party's progress on tackling the climate and nature crises ahead of Thursday, which marks one year since the general election. The two groups said the Government's overall environmental record is a 'mixed picture'. Assessing key policy areas, they rated the Government highest for its progress on climate and energy because of Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's efforts to reposition the UK as a global climate leader and oversee the UK's transition towards clean energy. But the campaigners also criticised decisions to invest billions into nuclear power, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and roads, instead of funnelling more money towards carbon-cutting measures. In terms of homes and transport, the groups welcomed investment in buses and railways, promotion of cleaner modes of transport and the requirement for landlords to raise energy efficiency standards. However, they criticised Labour's support for airport expansion and said more money is needed to decarbonise these sectors if the UK is to meet its climate targets. The Government fared worse on nature and the environment in the organisations' assessment. While moving to ban bee-harming pesticides, launching reforms of the polluting water sector and banning bottom-trawling in some protected areas, the campaigners said planning reforms that sideline nature in pursuit of growth have been particularly alarming. There has also been little progress on adopting laws to ensure UK companies do not contribute to illegal deforestation globally, nor the ratification of a UN treaty to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, they added. The Government saw the worst rating, however, in the policy areas of justice and democracy, with the groups claiming there has been an increase in arrests and imprisonment of non-violent protesters. The campaigners also called for the introduction of taxes on the largest polluters through measures such as a stronger windfall tax on oil and gas profits, a frequent flyer levy and wealth taxes. Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said: 'There's no denying Labour has made some good progress on its clean energy mission, and it's extremely encouraging the Government remains committed to delivering on climate targets despite the breakdown in the political consensus. 'But where there have been some positive wins for nature, they've been overshadowed by false claims that protecting wildlife and vital habitats is hindering development. 'What has been most worrying is this Government's attitude to protest, which has seen it continue the last government's legacy of cracking down on dissent and encroaching on the right of us all to stand up for what we believe.' Reshima Sharma, deputy head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: 'This Government's record is like a dance pattern with impressive forward strides and sudden backwards steps. 'A year in, this administration certainly deserves much credit for holding the course on climate action and fully backing renewables, as well as investing in public transport, but championing a third runway at Heathrow is a blot on their climate record. 'Tough action on polluting water companies, bee-harming pesticides and destructive fishing are all welcome moves, but the obsession with putting growth above everything else risks undoing some of the good work on nature protection.' The groups said improvement is needed across all four policy areas, arguing that action to protect the environment will actively benefit people's lives through cheaper energy bills, cleaner air, thousands of new jobs and a stronger economy. PA has contacted the Government for comment.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Inside a data centre: Fourth Class students receive tour
From the outside it is a non-descript building without any signage in an industrial estate in west Dublin. Inside the Equinix data centre, there are rows of servers supporting everything from internet banking to social media, and from artificial intelligence to tv streaming. The first thing you notice inside the building is how noisy it is, and how cold it is. Chilled air is pumped up from underneath the floor to keep the servers cool. There are more than 80 data centres in Ireland and they are a vital part of the economy but they are also massive consumers of energy. "At the moment in Ireland, 22% of all electricity is going to data centres," said Rosi Leonard, Friends of the Earth. "So that's more than all urban homes in the country, it's huge." "Ireland is also a global outlier. The EU average is around 2% of electricity going to data centres, we are almost 20% over that," Ms Leonard said. Data centre providers insist they are taking steps to lessen their environmental impact. "We are doing some grid response initiatives," said Warren Delaney, Ireland Operations Director, Equinix. "We would be asked at peak time during the day at certain times of the year to disconnect our data centre load or partial load from the grid to help with the pressure that might be on the grid at the time," Mr Delaney said. A group of local school children from Scoil Ghráinne Community National School in Dublin 15 got a tour of an Equinix data centre today, to learn what exactly happens inside these facilities. "I learned that this place holds all the internet and if the power goes out, it doesn't go out in here," said Graham Phelan, Fourth Class. "You use things like Snapchat, Xbox, Instagram and TikTok, they are all powered by a data centre," said Sharon Olaitan, Fourth Class. Their classmate Audrey Gudz also learned a valuable lesson from the data centre trip.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Acorn carbon capture project to get £200m, Miliband confirms
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has confirmed that £200m will be provided to progress the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) scheme in Aberdeenshire. Miliband - who has been visiting the St Fergus gas terminal where the project will be based - said he had told the company behind the project that he expected it to make a final investment decision by the end of the parliament. He said he wanted to see significant progress "by the turn of the decade" but would not commit to a firm timetable. Environmental group Friends of the Earth, which is sceptical about carbon capture, said the "scarce public money" would only directly benefit "greedy oil and gas companies". The investment in the Acorn Project comes as part of the UK government's spending review which will increase Holyrood's budget by £2.9bn a year on average. As part of his announcement, Miliband added that a Scottish Labour government would deliver new nuclear power in Scotland. Acorn has said its project will safeguard about 18,000 jobs that would otherwise have been lost, including jobs at Grangemouth. CO2 captured at Grangemouth will be transported to storage facilities under the North Sea, avoiding its release into the atmosphere. The jobs will be needed to build pipelines to transport the CO2 safely and generate low-carbon power to homes and businesses. The UK government is providing similar funding for the Viking carbon capture project in the Humber. Miliband said: "This government is putting its money where its mouth is and backing the trailblazing Acorn and Viking CCS projects. "This will support industrial renewal in Scotland and the Humber with thousands of highly-skilled jobs at good wages to build Britain's clean energy future. "Carbon capture will make working people in Britain's hard-working communities better off, breathing new life into their towns and cities and reindustrialising the country through our Plan for Change." Scotland to get extra £2.9bn from spending review, says Treasury Acorn Project funding to be announced in spending review Tim Stedman, chief executive of Storegga, lead developer of Acorn, said: "We warmly welcome the UK government's support for the Acorn project and the commitment to development funding that will enable the critical work needed to reach Final Investment Decision (FID)." He said the funding announcement was a "milestone" and was on top of significant private sector investment. "We look forward to working with government in the months ahead to understand the details of today's commitment, and to ensure the policy, regulatory and funding frameworks are in place to build and grow a world-leading UK CCS sector," he added. Once Acorn and Viking are operational, combined, it has been claimed they could prevent up to 18 million tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere each year. Those involved in the CCS schemes say they can also play a role in low-carbon power and hydrogen production, supporting thousands of jobs. Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: "The government's backing for the Acorn Project is a significant endorsement which will help to make the north east a world leader in the low-carbon industry. "This major carbon capture and storage facility puts us on an ecologically more sustainable trajectory and will bolster the region's economy by creating up to 15,000 jobs in construction and attracting billions in private investment. "Whilst this intervention is undoubtedly welcome, we urge both the UK and Scottish governments to work in collaboration to realise Acorn's potential in full." Caroline Rance, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "This is an enormous handout of supposedly scarce public money that will only directly benefit greedy oil and gas companies. "Politicians are paying hundreds of millions to keep us locked into an unaffordable energy system which is reliant on fossil fuels and is destroying the climate. "Carbon capture technology has 50 years of failure behind it, so businesses, workers and the public are being sold a lie about its role in their future." She said building new fossil fuel infrastructure would undermine the energy transition and embolden oil firms to continue drilling in the North Sea. "Both the UK and Scottish governments should instead be backing climate solutions that can improve people's lives such as upgrading public transport, ensuring people live in warm homes and creating green jobs for the long-term," she added.
New Indian Express
31-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Environmentalists demand full disclosure of hazardous waste leakages from MSC Elsa 3
Following the sinking of a Liberian cargo ship, MSC Elsa 3, off the Kerala coast, environmentalists are demanding immediate and transparent disclosure of the nature and quantity of the chemicals involved, as well as their impact on the coastal ecosystem and fisheries. They are also calling for urgent measures to protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of fisherfolk. Reports indicate that the sunken ship was carrying hazardous materials, including highly reactive calcium carbide, furnace oil, and diesel, which may have leaked into the sea, creating an oil slick. The global network of environmental group, Friends of the Earth (FoE), has expressed concern over the shipwreck of the Liberian cargo ship and the reported spillage of oil and hazardous chemicals off the Kerala coast. 'Reports indicate that floating containers are drifting toward the southern coasts, particularly Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari, raising serious environmental and livelihood concerns,' said Sarath Cheloor National Coordinator, FoE-India. According to the FoE assessments, the sunken commercial ship was carrying 640 containers at the time of the incident, including 13 containers with hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide. The ship was also carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, which may have leaked into the sea, creating an oil slick.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Plastic nurdles spill: High-level meeting held, short-term survey initiated in Tamil Nadu
A SOP has been issued by the Indian Coast Guard to Kerala and Tamil Nadu on how to carry out the clean up. "We are following the SOP and ensuring adequate protection for personnel engaged in clean up. As such the plastic nurdles are not hazardous to humans, but pose a significant threat to the environment," a senior official said and added that a long-term impact assessment study will be done by an accredited agency. Meanwhile, officials claim that the possibility of plastic nurdles spill entering the Gulf of Mannar is thin as the INCOIS ocean wave data shows the waves are carrying the spill in a straight line towards the west coast of Sri Lanka. "Even if it enters the Gulf of Mannar, the quality may not be significant enough to cause considerable damage." Meanwhile, a team from Gujarat is expected to arrive in Kanniyakumari to salvage the containers. Sarath Cheloor, National Coordinator of Friends of the Earth demanded full disclosure and accountability, contending that full details on the nature and quantum of cargo in the ship is not available. "According to available information, the sunken commercial ship was carrying 640 containers, including 13 containers with hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide. Calcium Carbide is highly reactive with seawater, with disastrous impacts to the ecology. The ship was also carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, which may have leaked into the sea, creating an oil slick." According to the 1992 International Civil Liability Convention, strict liability must be imposed on the ship owner for any pollution and resultant impact, except in cases of war, civil unrest, or natural disasters.
