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World approves UN rules for carbon trading between nations at COP29

New rules allowing wealthy polluting countries to buy carbon-cutting "offsets" from developing nations were agreed at UN climate talks Saturday, in a move already raising fears they will be used to greenwash climate targets.

Push to salvage climate talks after poor nations bristle at cash

Key nations raced Saturday to salvage UN climate talks after the poorest countries pushed back angrily for more than $300 billion a year in help from historic wealthy emitters.

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Power shift for Mumbai's double-decker buses

India's entertainment capital is expanding its fleet of London-style red double-decker buses nearly a century after they made their debut -- this time as electric vehicles.

'Tornado of fire': Algeria forest blazes kill 38

Algerian firefighters battled Thursday to rein in forest fires that have ravaged large parts of the drought-hit North African country, killing almost 40 people including 12 who died in a bus trapped by the flames.

World could save 700 mn tonnes of CO2 if people cycled more, study shows

The world would save nearly 700 million tonnes of carbon pollution each year -- more than Canada's annual emissions -- if every person adopted the Dutch way of life and cycled on a daily basis, new research showed Thursday.

Cyprus row over threat to dig up protected turtle nests

A row has erupted in Cyprus after a community leader threatened to dig up the nests of protected turtles because his village is missing out on land development compensation.

Wildfires in Portugal, Spain contained

Massive wildfires in Portugal and Spain were largely under control Thursday after forcing thousands from their homes and destroying large swathes of land.

Huge Portugal fire 'under control' for now

Officials said a massive forest fire in Portugal was "under control" after raging for days, but more than 1,000 firefighters were still battling to keep it contained Thursday.

Canada's Hudson Bay a summer refuge for thousands of belugas

Half a dozen beluga whales dive and reemerge around tourist paddle boards in Canada's Hudson Bay, a handful of about 55,000 of the creatures that migrate from the Arctic to the bay's more temperate waters each summer.

Hunting pythons in Florida, for profit and therapy

Enrique Galan is seldom happier than when he disappears deep into the Everglades to hunt down Burmese pythons, an invasive species that has been damaging Florida's wetland ecosystem for decades.

Amazon tribe go behind the camera in Nat Geo film 'The Territory'

When Covid-19 reached Brazil's Amazon, and an indigenous tribe sealed off its borders, director Alex Pritz found an innovative way to finish his documentary -- he handed the cameras over to the Uru-eu-wau-wau themselves.

Biden signs major climate change, health care law

President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law a big climate change and health care spending bill, giving Democrats another boost ahead of midterm elections in which Republicans are suddenly less certain of their predicted crushing victory.

Spain, Portugal battle to control huge wildfires

Spain and neighbouring Portugal fought against large wildfires on Tuesday, while three people were badly injured after their train hurtled into a smaller Spanish blaze.

Oil majors' climate visions 'inconsistent' with Paris targets

Global decarbonisation scenarios envisioned by oil and gas majors are incompatible with the Paris climate deal temperature goals aimed at averting devastating heating, according to research published Tuesday.

Polish firemen pull tonnes of dead fish from Oder river

Polish firefighters said Tuesday they had recovered 100 tonnes of dead fish from the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, deepening concerns of an environmental disaster.

'Extreme healt belt' to cover middle of US by 2053: report

An area of intensely warm weather -- a so-called "extreme heat belt" -- with at least one day per year in which the heat index hits 125 Fahrenheit (52C), is expected to cover a US region home to more than 100 million people by the year 2053, according to a new study.

Spain fights fierce fire fanned by winds

Firefighters were battling strong winds Monday as a huge forest fire burnt out of control in southeastern Spain while another blaze in the north was stabilised, officials said Saturday.

UN resuming talks on high-seas treaty amid growing concerns

After four inconclusive sessions, UN member states on Monday resume talks aimed at finally completing a treaty to protect the world's high seas, a vital yet fragile resource that covers nearly half the planet.

Firefighters battle blazes in southeast France

French firefighters tackled wildfires raging in the country's southeast Saturday as officials kept a wary eye on a huge blaze that appeared to be contained further west.

'Dead fish everywhere' in German-Polish river after feared chemical waste dump

Thousands of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water.

What's in Biden's big climate and health plan?

Hundreds of billions of dollars for clean energy projects, cheaper prescription drugs and new corporate taxes are a few of the key items in US President Joe Biden's massive investment plan, which Congress has now passed.

Premature harvests latest test for French winemakers

Forced to start picking grapes much earlier than normal because of torrid temperatures, winemakers across France are worrying that grape quality will suffer from the climate-induced stress.

Swiss mountain pass ice to melt completely within weeks

The thick layer of ice that has covered a Swiss mountain pass for centuries will have melted away completely within a few weeks, a ski resort said Thursday.

California plans to boost water supply as drought bites

More than two decades of devastating drought worsened by man-made climate change mean California must harvest, recycle and desalinate much more water, the state's governor said Thursday.

France gets boost from EU neighbours as wildfires rage

Six EU nations are sending firefighting teams and equipment to France as it battles a spate of wildfires, including a fierce blaze in the parched southwest that has forced thousands to evacuate, officials said Thursday.

Arctic warming four times faster than rest of Earth: study

The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet over the last 40 years, according to research published Thursday that suggests climate models are underestimating the rate of polar heating.

Low Rhine deepens Germany's energy crisis

A hot, dry July made worse by climate change has raised the risk that the German economy could run aground as sinking Rhine waters make shipping along the river harder.

New wildfire outbreaks feared as blazes rage in France

French officials warned Thursday that flare-ups could cause a massive wildfire to further spread in the country's parched southwest, where fresh blazes have already blackened swathes of land this week.

Salt of the earth: Israeli artist's Dead Sea sculptures

Israeli artist Sigalit Landau wades into the warm, briny waters of the Dead Sea to inspect her latest creations -- everyday objects coated in salt crystals that glisten in the bright morning sun.

Cheaper, changing and crucial: the rise of solar power

Generating power from sunlight bouncing off the ground, working at night, even helping to grow strawberries: solar panel technology is evolving fast as costs plummet for a key segment of the world's energy transition.

Brazil farmers bet on environmentally friendly cotton

The road through Cristalina, Brazil is in the middle of the tropics, but the fields on either side look like they are covered in snow -- little white puffs of cotton stretching to the horizon.

Russian strikes near Ukraine nuclear plant kill 14

Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of carrying out rocket strikes that killed 14 civilians in areas near a nuclear power plant, as the G7 warned that Russian control of the facility "endangers the region".

World's biggest ice sheet could cause massive sea rise without action: study

The world's biggest ice sheet could cause "several metres" of sea-level rise over centuries if the global temperature rises more than 2°C, according to a British study published Wednesday.

Arson suspected as huge French wildfire reignites

A wildfire that officials thought was under control in southwest France has reignited amid a record drought and extreme heat, possibly the result of arson, officials said Wednesday.

Pakistan zoo cancels lion auction, plans expansion instead

A Pakistan zoo has called off plans to auction 12 lions from its ever-growing pride to private buyers, saying it would instead create new enclosures for the big cats.

Stranded beluga whale rescued from France's Seine river

A beluga whale stranded in the river Seine in northern France for more than a week was removed from the water early Wednesday in the first stage of an ambitious rescue operation to return it to the sea.

On the menu at a UK restaurant: carbon footprint

The menu at The Canteen in southwest England doesn't just let diners know how much a dish costs. They can also check its carbon footprint.

Stranded beluga whale removed from France's Seine river: AFP

The beluga whale stranded in the river Seine in northern France was removed from the water early Wednesday in the first stage of an ambitious rescue operation, an AFP journalist said.

UK meteorologists, water firms issue warnings as extreme heatwave looms

The UK's meteorological agency on Tuesday issued an "amber" warning for extreme heat while the country's biggest water provider said restrictions loom, as Britain braces for another punishing heatwave later this week.

Endangered sharks, rays caught in protected Med areas: study

Endangered sharks, rays and skates in the Mediterranean are more frequently caught in protected than in unprotected areas, according to research published Tuesday highlighting the need for better conservation for critically threatened species.

Lowest July Antarctic sea ice on record: monitor

Last month saw the lowest extent of Antarctic sea ice on record for July, according to the European Union's satellite monitoring group.

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