Melting ice, species going extinct, cow dung zero waste and

Essential reads Antarctica has lost 7.5tn tonnes of ice since 1997, scientists find   Scientists at the University of Leeds have calculated that 67tn tonnes of ice was lost in the west while 59tn tonnes was added to the east between 1997 and 2021, resulting in a net loss of 7.5tn tonnes. Warm water on the western side of Antarctica has been melting ice, whereas in the east, ice shelves have either stayed the same or grown as the water is colder there. Revealed: how a little-known pollution rule keeps the air dirty for millions of Americans   A legal loophole has allowed the US Environmental Protection Agency to strike pollution from clean air tallies in more than 70 counties, enabling local regulators to claim the air was cleaner than it really was for more than 21 million Americans. Regulators have exploited a little-known provision in the Clean Air Act called the “exceptional events rule” to forgive pollution caused by “natural” or “uncontrollable” events – including wildfires – on records used by the EPA for regulatory decisions, a new investigation from the California Newsroom, MuckRock and the Guardian reveals. Greta Thunberg charged with public order offence after London oil protest   The Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg, 20, and Just Stop Oil cofounders Indigo Rumbelow and Roger Hallam were one of 29 arrested during a protest trying to stop delegates entering the Energy Intelligence Forum at the InterContinental London Park Lane in Mayfair. Claude Fourcroy, a spokesperson for Money Rebellion, said: “We are calling on all the banks and insurers behind the West Cumbria mine and East Africa crude oil pipeline to cut their ties now. Both of these projects will fuel climate breakdown. Lloyd’s of London and the insurers in its market sit at the centre of a web of climate wreckers in the City of London.”

Composted Reads The good news The zero-waste city: what Kiel in Germany can teach the world   Kiel is the first German city to be declared “zero waste” by the environmental campaign group Zero Waste Europe. The certificate does not mean it has already stopped throwing things away – far from it – but rather that it has a concrete plan for how to do better. + Despite its status as a world leader in recycling, Europe’s biggest economy is also one of its dirtiest. In 2021, the average German generated 646kg of waste, while the average EU citizen generated 530kg. Only in four EU countries – Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark and Belgium – did people throw away more. Leading UK chefs join campaign to cast farmed salmon off menu Why we should all dig into poo – all you need is a spoon   Cow dung contains 24 minerals – including nitrogen, potassium, sulphur, iron, magnesium, copper, cobalt and manganese – as well as a rich diversity of bacteria and fungi. “There is a whole suite of animals that feed on this,” says Turner. This is a nursery for new life. We quickly find a juicy, translucent dung beetle larva, gorging itself on poo, in what looks like a semi-conscious stupor. “It’s pretty, isn’t it? It’s folded over – that’s a classic shape,” says Turner. The bad news 21 species removed from US Endangered Species Act after going extinct   Wildlife advocacy groups stress ‘permanent’ consequences of failing to address biodiversity and climate About 21 species have been removed from the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) after going extinct in a move conservationists are calling a wake-up call. Refusing to fly has lost me my job as a climate researcher. It’s a price worth paying | Gianluca Grimalda   Two weeks ago, my employer presented me with a stark ultimatum: return to my offices in Kiel, Germany, within five days, or lose my job. I am a climate researcher and since March 2023, I have been completing vital fieldwork into the social impact of climate change almost 15,000 miles away by overland routes, on the island of Bougainville off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Green spaces in poorer parts of England more likely to be built on, study finds   Overall the number of designated local green spaces has increased by more than 700 in the past 12 months. But today’s report, by rural charity the CPRE, reveals that parks, public spaces and small areas of trees in more deprived areas are less likely to be officially protected. + Today’s report found that 711 new local green spaces have been designated since 2022, the majority in northern England. In London, the total number grew by 64%. But while designations have increased in deprived areas, CPRE mapping reveals that a strong correlation persists between deprivation and lack of green space.