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Australia’s environment minister says billionaire Palmer’s Central Queensland Coal proposal would likely have ‘unacceptable impacts’ on reefFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our free news app, morning email briefing or daily news podcastThe environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has said she intends to block a coalmine project backed by mining billionaire Clive Palmer that would have dug for the fossil fuel...

Conservationists find native magnolia for first time since 1925 after original habitat destroyed by deforestationA conservation team has rediscovered a native magnolia tree in a forest in Haiti for the first time since it was lost to science in 1925.Boasting pure white flowers and uniquely shaped leaves, the northern Haiti magnolia (Magnolia emarginata) was found originally in the forest of Morne Colombo, which has...

Rights groups accuse Brazilian government of not employing sufficient resources to examine caseLeading human rights organisations have criticised the Brazilian government for what they say is a failure to properly investigate the murders of the Indigenous activist Bruno Pereira and the British journalist Dom Phillips.The two men were shot dead in June but eight organisations said that from the moment they disappeared, to the...

Findings will increase calls for voluntary buybacks, which could provide the water quickly but would require legislationFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastA key environmental measure in the Murray-Darling Basin plan “cannot be achieved under the current program settings” which may only save 13% of the 450 gigalitres required to...

Outrage after clip showing the vlogger Tizi roasting and eating threatened species went viralA Chinese influencer is under police investigation after a clip of her roasting and eating a great white shark went viral.Footage of the vlogger, known by her online pseudonym Tizi, showed her feasting on the predatory fish, which police in the central city of Nanchong confirmed was a great white. Continue...

New classification would mean a total ban on international trade in the animal’s body parts, as climate crisis and poaching hit populationsHippos could be added to the list of the world’s most endangered animals because of dwindling populations caused by the climate crisis, poaching and the ivory trade.The semi-aquatic mammals are found in lakes and rivers across sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated population of...

More heavy rains pummel mountain communities, as Kamala Harris announces $1bn to deal with disasters from climate crisisHeavy rain has pummeled Kentucky once again, raising fears of further devastating flooding that has already killed 35 people, with hundreds more still missing.Another round of rainstorms hit inundated mountain communities on Monday as more bodies emerged from the sodden landscape, and the state’s governor warned that...

Exclusive: leaders expected to say at Cop27 they need access to their oil and gas reserves despite effect on global heatingLeaders of African countries are likely to use the next UN climate summit in November to push for massive new investment in fossil fuels in Africa, according to documents seen by the Guardian.New exploration for gas, and the exploitation of Africa’s vast reserves of...

Further heavy rainfall forecast after deadly lightning strikes and flooding last weekThe monsoon season in India and Pakistan is well under way, with further heavy rain events expected in parts of south-west India over the next week or so. The states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala in particular could experience rainfall totals above 200mm widely over the next couple of days.Towards the weekend,...

Governor Andy Beshear says he expects death toll to ‘more than double’ after record floods wipe out entire towns in state’s eastKentucky’s governor said it could take weeks to find all the victims of flash flooding that killed at least 16 people when heavy rains turned streams into torrents that swamped towns across Appalachia.More rainstorms were forecast to roll through in coming days, keeping...

Naomi Klein and Caroline Lucas among signatories to letter voicing concerns over country’s hosting of climate summitA hundred days before the Cop27 summit is due to start in Sharm el-Sheikh, a group of environmentalists and activists have expressed alarm over Egypt’s ability to host the event successfully because of its poor record on human rights, as thousands of prisoners of conscience remain behind bars.“We...

Parts of a 23-tonne piece of rocket will come crashing down – somewhere – in the next few daysIn the next few days, a 23-tonne piece of rocket will plummet to Earth at about 15,000 miles an hour. Much of it may burn up on re-entry, but a significant amount will not.It could land as one piece but more probably as many, scattered over...

Nepalese population of Bengal tigers has nearly tripled in 12 years and conflict with humans is increasingNepal’s tiger population has nearly tripled in 12 years, the country’s prime minister has announced. But concerns about the human cost of the big cat’s recovery are growing after a rise in fatal attacks.From a low of 121 in 2010, the Nepalese population of Bengal tigers has risen...

Tradies in paradise scheme offers incentives for workers to move to state, but budget mostly spent on ads and admin, government saysGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastA $1.9m Queensland government program to attract tradespeople to move to the state has led to just two successful cases.The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, launched the tradies in paradise scheme in March, offering...

Aged care reform first bill to pass lower house under Albanese governmentAustralia’s inflation rate reaches 6.1% – the fastest annual increase in 21 yearsGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastAAP has a preview of today’s inflation figures, which are going to be horrible:Australia could be about to record its worst inflation outcome in more than 31 years, paving the...

Picnics, treks, camping and swimming continue despite hazardous air quality and ash in national parkYosemite national park’s dramatic vistas were shrouded by a thick grey haze on Monday afternoon, as smoke from the fiercely burning Oak fire hung over its granite peaks. Along the road winding toward the valley, skeletal trees told the story of the Washburn fire that tore through just weeks earlier.The...

High temperatures expected to continue for at least another week with more than 300 cities forecast to reach 35CA long-running heatwave in China has pushed electricity usage to record levels in some areas and led to blackouts, with warnings that the high temperatures are expected to continue for at least another week.More than 300 cities were forecast to reach temperatures above 35C on Tuesday....

Katharine Murphy: Albanese believes in politics with purpose – he’s determined to pop Morrison’s ‘Canberra bubble’Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastCash: No way the Coalition will support a lower emissions targetThe next interview on ABC radio RN is with the shadow employment minister, Michaelia Cash, who has a lot to say about the scrapping of the ABCC. Cash,...

Group claims ministers have failed to check environmental impact of burning gas at site off AberdeenGreenpeace has confirmed it will take legal action against the UK government over claims it has failed to check the environmental impact of burning gas from the Jackdaw gasfield off the coast of Aberdeen.The government gave its approval for Shell to develop the field for gas extraction on 2...

On Monday, 17 people sat in the Senate majority leader’s office to demand he reopen climate negotiationsSix staffers were reportedly arrested in Congress on Monday afternoon for staging a sit-in at Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer’s office and protesting about a lack of legislative action on the environment.The congressional staffers and activists had started the demonstration earlier Monday, with 17 staffers sitting in Schumer’s...

Minister says open doors lead to 20% more consumption as restrictions on illuminated signs also announcedAir-conditioned shops in France will be ordered to keep their doors closed or risk being fined, a minister said while announcing a rule to combat energy wastage.Leaving the doors open when the air conditioning is on leads to “20% more consumption and … it’s absurd”, the French minister of...

Custodians fighting to stop construction of a WA fertiliser plant say environment department gave just three days to respond to a 180-page documentGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastTraditional custodians behind a push to halt construction of a fertiliser plant on the Burrup peninsula that would require the removal of Indigenous rock art say they have been given just...

Oak fire prompts Gavin Newsom to declare state of emergency for Mariposa County as firefighters scramble to contain the blazeCalifornia governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County on Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire near Yosemite national park exploded in size, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people.The Oak fire, which began Friday afternoon south-west of the park near Midpines in...

Sale calls into question protection deal signed at Cop26 as expert warns Congo auction could be a catastrophe for wildlife, health and climate The Democratic Republic of the Congo has announced it will auction oil and gas permits in critically endangered gorilla habitat and the world’s largest tropical peatlands next week. The sale raises concerns about the credibility of a forest protection deal signed...