Latest news with #Greenpeace
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Renewables generate half of UK's electricity in 2024 in new record high
Renewables generated more than half of the UK's power for the first time in 2024 in a new record high for clean electricity sources. Official figures show wind, solar, hydro and biomass generated 50.4% of UK power last year, up from 46.5% in 2023, due to record high levels of wind and bioenergy power. At the same time fossil fuels – mainly gas – fell to a record low share of 31.8% of generation, with Britain's last coal plant shutting in September 2024, the figures from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero show. The share from low carbon sources, which includes nuclear as well as renewable sources rose to nearly two thirds of overall generation (64.7%), a new record high. But gas remained the single biggest source of UK power, at 30.4%, still slightly outpacing wind's contribution of 29.2% of generation – although that is likely to change as more wind farms come online. Greenpeace UK's head of climate, Mel Evans, described the renewables figures as 'fantastic news'. ' More of our electricity than ever before is produced by the wind and the sun as we continue to move away from dirty gas. 'It's also what we are seeing globally as last year renewables made up over nine tenths of new electricity capacity.' But she said that with energy bills 'sky high', the figures highlighted the absurdity of continuing to allow a smaller and smaller proportion of gas to dictate the price of power. Under the current system the price that consumers pay for their electricity is mostly set by the cost of gas, driving up the cost of what households have to pay for power from renewables and nuclear. 'Right now, expensive gas power is pushing up energy bills for households and businesses,' Ms Evans said. 'Until we reform this system and stop gas from setting electricity prices, we're not going to enjoy the full benefits and lower prices that more renewable power can bring.' The figures also showed oil production fell by 8.8% and natural gas production was down 10% with output of both fossil fuels falling to record low levels. Production of oil and gas is 75% below the peak seen in 1999, reflecting the decline in output from the UK's shrinking North Sea reserves. Demand for coal fell in 2024, by 52% to 2.1 million tonnes compared to 2023, as the fuel mix shifted towards other sources of fuel, particularly for electricity generation. The figures also reveal aviation fuel demand rose by 9.4% in 2024, and is now 1.3% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
The National
2 days ago
- Health
- The National
Sharjah study shows devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine life, says expert
The amount of discarded plastic found in dead seabirds in the UAE has been described as "very alarming" by a senior Greenpeace campaigner. Farah Al Hattab, lead plastics campaigner at Greenpeace Mena, said harm to creatures such as seabirds indicated "a much deeper environmental crisis". The new research, released by Sharjah researchers, reported that about one in eight seabirds found dead off the emirate's coast had eaten some form of marine pollutant, mostly plastic or glass, but also including oil. "The study is very alarming and adds to the growing body of evidence on the devastating impact of plastic pollution on biodiversity," Ms Al Hattab told The National. "Any imbalance in the ecosystem, especially involving indicator species like seabirds, signals a much deeper environmental crisis." She said the findings of the study released last month indicated "how pervasive plastic pollution has become", adding that studies like the one just published were "a warning sign". When researchers analysed nearly 500 birds found dead off Sharjah's coasts, 12.8 per cent or about one in eight contained some type of marine pollutant. Most of these − 11.1 per cent of all birds found dead − had solid debris such as plastic or glass in their stomachs, while a further 1.7 per cent of birds contained oil globules. Carried out by scientists from the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah and the American University of Sharjah, the work is thought by the researchers to be the first in the Middle East to measure how the region's seabirds are affected by plastic and other waste. Hidden risks The study's lead author, Fadi Yaghmour, a scientific researcher at the EPAA's Sharjah Strandings Response Programme, indicated debris could damage the birds' gastrointestinal tract. 'Even when the debris doesn't cause physical damage to the tract through tears, or even if it doesn't block the tract, as is often occurring with sheath-like plastics, the bird will feel full, satiated, even while it has not gained any nutrition from eating a piece of plastic,' he said. The researchers analysed the contents of the gastrointestinal tracts of 478 seabirds from 17 species found dead off Sharjah's coasts from the beginning of 2017 to the end of 2023. Birds analysed included 406 black-headed gulls, 29 large white-headed gulls and 23 Socotra cormorants. When a sample of 20 birds were looked at as part of the same study, all contained microplastics, the tiny particles formed from the break-up of larger pieces of plastics. More than three-quarters of the microplastic particles were microfibres, probably from laundry. These can cause scarring and inflammation of animals' digestive tract. Another author, Prof Fatin Samara, part of the American University of Sharjah's recently launched Sharjah Environmental Hazards Assessment Research Group, said problems came not only from the plastic itself. 'It's also about how microplastics can carry or attract toxic pollutants,' she said. 'We're not just examining the plastics themselves – we're also testing for heavy metals and organic contaminants, because multiple studies have shown that microplastics can act as vectors, transporting other substances through the environment. 'What you're dealing with is a cocktail of plastics that may also carry additional toxic chemicals on their surfaces.' Some seabirds, such as gulls, travel inland and visit landfill sites, so not all debris that they consumed will have originated in the seas. A key way to cut plastic pollution is, Prof Samara said, to simply reduce how much plastic is used. Promoting a more circular economy, in which material is recycled, is also important. From the 478 dead birds were analysed in the study, 62 (or 12.8 per cent) had eaten marine debris of some kind, and 53 of those had consumed plastic or other solid debris. Eight had eaten oil or similar pollutants. Phased bans Levels of marine debris found in seabirds varies globally, according to data reported in the new study, with 13 per cent of gulls in the western Mediterranean found to contain marine debris, compared with 22 per cent off Ireland and 33 per cent in the North Pacific. Australian research reported that eight per cent of gulls contained marine debris. Prof Brendan Godley, of the University of KhorFakkan's Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre and the University of Exeter in the UK, said when seabirds ate plastic, they could regurgitate it for chicks, leading to gut damage, blockages and death. Also, if the animal is being fed plastic, it cuts the amount of actual food eaten. 'If a chick needs a lot of food to grow and survive and the parents think they're giving a full portion but half is [not food], it's not getting the nutrition, as well as damaging the gut and causing blockages,' he said. The UAE authorities have tried to prevent plastic waste entering the environment through phased bans on plastic products, with further nationwide restrictions coming into force next year. While many camels have died in the UAE from eating plastic bags, the numbers are thought to have fallen thanks to restrictions on single-use plastic bags. Plastic is also harmful to dugongs. Other dangers to wildlife from litter remain, with Mr Yaghmour saying seabirds continued to get caught in discarded fishing gear, years after the issue was identified. Some of the most severe cases have involved fish hooks with lines becoming attached to birds. A hook may be attached to a fish, Mr Yaghmour said, and when a seabird eats the fish, the hook attaches to the bird. 'That's why several time's we've seen birds with the hook in the beak,' he said. One particularly distressing case involved a cormorant found hanging from a tree. The hook had become caught in the animal's oesophagus, the pipe down which food passes, and the line attached to the hook became entangled in a tree. Another bird could not move normally because it had hooks embedded in its beak and a foot, with a line running between them. When the animal moved its head, it pulled its foot, and vice versa. 'We see this often in cases of entanglements – the line is as dangerous as the hook. When they're together it becomes a very potent risk,' Mr Yaghmour said. Mr Yaghmour said fishing gear was hazardous and so should be 'handled responsibly like any other material that can cause harm to people or animals'. 'The call I would give to fishermen – recreational and artisanal – is of course to respect the gear and use it responsibly. Do not use it in areas where it may latch on to substrates and get lost easily,' he said. Ghost fishing gear The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi is developing a programme to deal with marine debris, including large or macro debris and derelict or 'ghost' fishing gear because of their "wider ecosystem impacts". The organisation said it had upgraded its policies to follow "best international practices", particularly those from a well-regarded programme at Hawaii Pacific University. "As a result, we have updated and enhanced our upcoming programme design to incorporate ghost gear tracking as a core component, complementing our broader marine litter and water quality initiatives," the agency said. In the Abu Dhabi emirate, the agency said fishing hooks were used only in handline fishing or Hadaq, which prevents unattended gear from being left in the water. 'While the current risk is minimal, ongoing education and monitoring can ensure best practices are maintained,' it said. 'If handlining practices change, or incorporate baiting methods more attractive to birds, additional measures – weighted lines, bird-scaring devices – could be considered.' The environmental agency said other actions could reduce the risk that fishing hooks posed, including bird-scaring lines to discourage birds from approaching baited hooks, setting lines at night when birds tended to be less active, and adding weights to lines so that they sank out of the reach of foraging birds.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
David Suzuki not giving up hope despite dire warning it's ‘too late' to fight climate change
Canadian icon and environmental activist David Suzuki didn't mince words when talking about Earth's fate this month. In a much-publicized interview in iPolitics , Suzuki was quoted as saying the fight against climate change is lost and 'it's too late' to avoid whatever fate awaits us. 'We have failed to shift the narrative and we are still caught up in the same legal, economic and political systems,' Suzuki said in the interview. 'For me, what we've got to do now is hunker down.' In the piece, Suzuki also noted Swedish scientist Johan Rockström had defined nine planetary boundaries — including carbon in the atmosphere, pH in the oceans and more. And Rockström said we've already passed seven of these boundaries. 'I've never said this before to the media, but it's too late,' Suzuki said in the piece referring to seven of nine boundaries being passed. And that statement caused reactions from many who are also working to protect the environment. 'I came to the same conclusion several years ago. For 65 years, I have warned how climate change threatens agriculture and our food security. We reap what we sow,' @Harold_Steves shared in a post on X , referencing the article. 'For many, he validates the rising frustration and anxiety people are feeling about the escalating climate impacts we are all experiencing. In some ways it's a relief to hear someone with his stature say plainly: this isn't working, our leaders and the system are (not) set up to tackle such a complex problem,' Greenpeace author Sarah Wilbore shared in a blog post . 'But for others, the starkness of his message and the finality of his words risks pushing us deeper into hopelessness to the point of inaction or worse, apathy.' 'Suzuki wisely tells us to invest in local community to help us prepare for the ongoing disasters of climate change. The fact that he has completely given up on government to do what is right is what I'm still processing,' @ESL_fairy wrote on X . The article came out shortly after CBC reshaped a 2022 Nature of Things documentary , where Suzuki and daughter, Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, talk frankly about when she told her dad she was pregnant, and he cried holding his grandchildren, because he realized they would not be able to 'live out their lives.' How have humans survived extreme environmental change in the past? And what will it take to survive what's next? But in a followup blog on his own website July 17, Suzuki softened his tone. 'I've been getting flak — and praise — for comments I made,' Suzuki said, referencing the article. 'I make no apologies for that, but I should clarify: I don't think we should give up hope. We never know what surprises nature has in store, and we're in uncharted territory with no history to guide us.' Although we aren't going to halt global heating, we have solutions to slow and ultimately cap it, Suzuki said, adding we must also find ways to adapt to a changing climate of more extreme and less predictable weather. 'It's still possible to move off this destructive path, but not if we continue to elevate human-invented economic systems and politics above the foundation of our existence, which is nature: clean air, safe water, rich soil, toxic-free food and sunlight,' Suzuki added. But his sombre warning was also critiqued by some. 'Suzuki calls for 'massive lifestyle changes,' but leaves out something crucial: most people are already at their breaking point: rent is unaffordable, food costs are crushing, there is a genocide happening. Telling people to overhaul their lives without policies or support doesn't sound liberating, it sounds terrifying,' Wilbore wrote on the blog. 'The panic-inducing approach has proved to be counterproductive. The right way is sensible efficiency and pollution pricing,' @NobariAli wrote on X . For more information about Suzuki's thoughts, and the David Suzuki Foundation, visit . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Governments Must Rise To The Moment And Vote In Favour Of A Moratorium On Deep Sea Mining
The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has ended with Greenpeace saying governments are continuing to fall short in protecting the deep sea. While high-level representatives from Palau, France and Panama attended to rally the international community, Greenpeace is calling for greater efforts from more governments to put a legal barrier between mining machines and the deep ocean. Upcoming ISA meetings must secure a moratorium and leave no room for rushed attempts to adopt a Mining Code. Recent developments have made it clear that outstanding political and scientific concerns cannot be hastily resolved under industry-driven pressure. Louisa Casson, Campaigner, Greenpeace International who attended the meeting, says: "Governments have yet to rise to the moment. They remain disconnected from global concerns and the pressing need for courageous leadership to protect the deep ocean. We call on the international community to rise up and defend multilateralism against rogue actors like The Metals Company. Leaders must respond by establishing a moratorium and reaffirming that authority over the international seabed lies collectively with all States-for the benefit of humanity as a whole." Juressa Lee, Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining campaigner, says: "Deep sea mining is the latest form of colonisation and extraction. Pacific civil society is overwhelmingly opposed to deep sea mining and must not be ignored in the rush by companies and states based in the Global North to start plundering the ocean." While calls for a moratorium on deep sea mining have not yet gained global consensus, they continue to gain momentum, supported by compelling arguments from a diverse group of countries. Croatia has just become the 38th government calling for a precautionary pause, moratorium or ban on deep sea mining. On Tuesday His Excellency Surangel S. Whipps Jr., President of the Republic of Palau, addressed the Assembly, drawing attention to persistent efforts and intense pressure from the industry to rush the negotiations and finalise a Mining Code. He stated: "Exploiting the seabed is not a necessity - it is a choice. And it is reckless. It is gambling with the future of Pacific Island children, who will inherit the dire consequences of decisions made far from their shores." In the first meeting of the ISA since The Metals Company (TMC) submitted the world's first-ever application to commercially mine the international seabed, governments at the ISA Council responded by launching an investigation into whether mining contractors, including TMC's subsidiaries Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI) and Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML), are complying with contractual obligations to act in accordance with the international legal framework.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Hilarious moment Donald Trump's golf caddie appears to subtly drop ball in prime spot before he arrives to take shot
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the hilarious moment Donald Trump's golf caddy appears to drop his ball into a prime spot before he takes his shot. A video clip has emerged which shows two golf caddies alongside the US President as he drives a golf cart around Turnberry's Ailsa course, in Scotland. 6 Donald Trump is on a five-day visit to Scotland, expected to end on Tuesday Credit: Getty 6 Footage appeared to show a caddy drop the President's ball in a prime spot Credit: X / RoguePOTUSStaff 6 The US leader was enjoying a round of golf on Turnberry's Ailsa course Credit: X / RoguePOTUSStaff He donned a white USA baseball cap and was joined by his son Eric. Trump, 79, is seen being escorted down to the course, with a convoy of 20 other carts following close behind. The caddies go ahead of the US leaser and one appears to try and secretly place a golf ball on the ground. The President then gets out and claims to have made the shot himself. Trump waves for cameras on the third green at the southeast end of the course before the party moves on. One person who watched the footage circulating on X wrote: "Caddy did that so smoothly. Can only imagine how many times he's done it." "I want to know how he finds caddies to do that for him," added another. This comes as the US President arrived aboard Air Force One at around 8.30pm on Friday for his five-day private visit to Bonnie Scotland. After waving to the crowds, he was welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before being whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast. Villagers waved as the convoy passed through nearby Kirkoswald and later arrived at the resort at around 9.30pm. And he wasted no time in taking to the green after being seen teeing off at the luxury resort. Several protests were planned, with opponents of Mr Trump gathering in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen earlier this week. The Stop Trump coalition has planned what it has described as being a "festival of resistance". Activists also shut down the Forth Road Bridge in South Queensferry as part of a huge protest ahead of Trump's visit. 6 Trump donned a white USA baseball cap Credit: Getty 6 The footage has circulated social media platform X Credit: Getty 6 The President was playing with his son Eric Credit: Getty Climate campaigners from Greenpeace confirmed that 10 activists abseiled from the massive 156m bridge to block an INEOS tanker. A large number of police and military personnel were seen searching the grounds at the golf resort to ensure Mr Trump's safety before he teed off. A high-profile security operation was in full swing with land, sea and air coverage from police and security services while a number of guests were checked over. Secret service agents with sniffer dogs checked bushes as snipers were positioned on a platform on the edge of the course and the roof of the hotel. Uniformed and plain clothes cops guarded all access points to the course, including roads, footpaths and the beach. Amid the search, a few golfers were also spotted at the course, enjoying an early-morning game. A number of onlookers had gathered at the entrance to Turnberry hoping to catch a glimpse of the game. But they were not let anywhere near. Police also had road closures in place, with limited access for locals and members of the media. Upon his arrival, Mr Trump told reporters: "There's no place like Turnberry. It's the best course in the world." As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will later head to Aberdeenshire and visit his golf resort in Balmedie. During his stay, he will officially open his second course at Menie, named in honour of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. His visit is expected to last until Tuesday, July 29. The President is also scheduled to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip. After landing in Scotland, Mr Trump said the "invasion" of migrants is "killing" Europe and told the leaders to "get their act together". But when asked about illegal immigration, Mr Trump said a "horrible invasion" was taking place in Europe which needs to stop. He said: "On immigration, you better get your act together. 'You're not going to have Europe anymore, you've got to get your act together. 'As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country – nobody, [we] shut it down.' He added: 'You've got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe.' Mr Trump, who made a crackdown on illegal immigration a major policy in his second term at the White House, boasted: "Last month we had nobody entering our country." A massive £5million security operation has been rolled out to ensure his safety, with around 6,000 police officers drafted in from across the UK to support the efforts. We previously told how police and security services assessed fears that Trump could be assassinated during his visit to Scotland after he survived an attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last year. David Threadgold, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said "a huge amount of threat assessment and intelligence gathering' took place ahead of the visit.
