At least 3,000 more chemicals are in plastics — from food packaging to toys to medical devices — than previously estimated by environment agencies, a report published on Thursday found, raising questions over pollution and consumer safety. While the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) had previously identified around 13,000 plastic… Read
Scientists in Antarctica are warning of the spread of deadly H5N1 avian flu virus after the disease was first confirmed on the frozen continent's mainland last month and has since been detected in local penguin and cormorant populations. The spread of the virus, which has decimated bird populations worldwide and… Read
As societies look for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change, large-scale solar power is playing a central role. Climate scientists view it as the tool with the greatest potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. In the U.S., the Department of Energy predicts that solar… Read
China is falling short on key targets for tackling climate-warming emissions, and analysts said Beijing's credibility in global climate talks could be at risk unless it redoubles its efforts to get back on track. The Chinese government has rarely missed targets in the past. But now, driven primarily by energy… Read
At one of Europe's largest chemical complexes, German group Covestro is trialling the manufacture of a key product using sugar as a base material instead of oil, as the industry seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. The pilot project involves producing "aniline", a chemical used in making foams -- used… Read
Greenpeace is urging governments to ratify a UN treaty for ocean protection to allow for the creation of a world-first marine preservation area in the high seas around Ecuador's famous Galapagos archipelago. "We must protect this area" with its unique fauna and flora where "industrial fishing fleets continue to plunder… Read
The EU's Green Deal -- once a core Brussels mission -- is looking increasingly under threat in the bloc's upcoming elections as resistance grows to its costs and consequences. Farmers' protests, consumer cost-of-living worries and some countries' hesitation are already undercutting the ambitious plan to make the European Union carbon-neutral… Read
Natural predators like birds, beetles and bugs might be an effective alternative to pesticides, keeping crop-devouring pests populations down while boosting crop yields, researchers say. Pests are responsible for around 10 percent -- or 21 million tons -- of crop losses every year, but controlling them has led to the… Read
As we begin to emerge out of yet another mild winter, Canadians are once again being reminded of just how acutely global warming has changed Canada’s winter climate. The impacts of this mild winter were felt across the country and touched all aspects of winter culture. From melting ice castles at… Read
The world is on the verge of a fourth mass coral bleaching event which could see wide swathes of tropical reefs die, including parts of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says. Marine biologists are on high alert following months of record-breaking ocean heat… Read