UN environment report 'hijacked' by US and others over fossil fuels, top scientist says 21 hours ago Share Save Matt McGrath Environment correspondent Share Save Getty Images A key UN report on the state of the global environment has been "hijacked" by the United States and other countries who were unwilling to go along with the scientific findings, the co-chair has told the BBC. The Global Environment Outlook, the result of six years' work, connects climate change, nature loss and pollution to unsustainable consumption by people living in wealthy and emerging economies. It warns of a "dire future" for millions unless there's a rapid move away from coal, oil and gas and fossil fuel subsidies. But at a meeting with government representatives to agree the findings, the US and allies said they could not go along with a summary of the report's conclusions. As the scientists were unwilling to water down or change their findings, the report has now been published without the summary and without the support of governments, weakening its impact. Researchers say the objections to this new report reflect similar concerns expressed by countries at the recent COP30 talks. The BBC has approached the relevant US government departments for comment. Issued every six or seven years, the Global Environment Outlook is a significant scientific analysis of the major threats to the planet. Developed under the auspices of the UN, the normal practice for studies like this is to have the key conclusions and recommendations agreed word by word with governments and published as a "summary for policymakers". These summaries are seen as critical because they show that governments agree with the science and are prepared to put the findings into action. But this new version of the Global Environment Outlook does not have this type of summary, as the authors and the political representatives of around 70 countries could not agree one at a "stormy" meeting in Nairobi in October. Compiled by nearly 300 scientists worldwide, the report argues that the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the energy we consume all involve the extraction of resources in a highly unsustainable manner. To solve the connected issues of climate change, pollution, nature and biodiversity loss, the report has many recommendations including a rapid move away from coal, oil and gas and a massive reduction in subsidies for farming and fossil fuels. The authors acknowledge this type of action will drive-up prices for consumers. But that short term pain will bring long term economic benefits for the whole world, the report says. These strong measures, especially on fossil fuels and plastics, were too much for the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia among others at the approval meeting, which usually work by consensus. Getty Images Sir Robert Watson is co-chair of the report

A volcano in Hawaii sent lava spewing towards a remote camera recording the eruption, engulfing it in ash and knocking it offline. Footage from the US Geological Survey (USGS) shows the camera glitching and stalling before its feed drops out in the wake of the eruption. Lava fountains up to 30m (100ft) high were seen from Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, the USGS said. Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has been erupting intermittently since December last year

By Alan Moran The key issue for economic policy remains the ‘transition’ away from dependable energy sources (coal, gas, nuclear, and hydro) towards low-density, unreliable wind and solar backed up by batteries and a cobweb of new transmission lines. As 2025 comes to an end, we are seeing a diverse picture regarding the politics of energy. Globally, the 30th Conference of the Parties in Brazil was attended by a diminishing handful of world leaders. The World Resources Institute (funded by governments and the usual array of philanthropy projects and Woke endowments) rolled out the canards – perilous temperature rise and climate disasters – and concluded: ‘A key question was how countries would address lagging ambition in their new climate commitments. Hopes … to end fossil fuel use … were ultimately dashed after opposition from petrostates. ’ Australia lost out to Turkey as the venue for the 2026 COP31. This was a bonus, saving the taxpayer at least $1 billion while forestalling some of the gushing verbal hyperbole from the Greens, subsidy seekers, and politicians looking to leverage climate panic. In matters of substance, the ebbing tide of global climate alarmism, with its corollary of economic ruin, has barely reached Australia. Although the different mechanisms to subsidise renewable energy change, the aggregate costs have remained fairly constant at $16 billion a year. … While the COP30 outcome is indicative of a global move away from climate alarmism and therefore low-productivity energy policies, in Australia, ALP politicians in office are showing an even greater enthusiasm for these policies. With regard to the Coalition, the leadership’s lemming charge over the cliff of Net Zero emissions is continuing, though being moderated by the remarkable surge in support for One Nation. Although most city-based Coalition politicians remain supportive of Net Zero others, and especially those representing rural and semi-rural are having second thoughts. This reflects worries about higher prices and lower reliability caused by the ‘transition’ to renewables and concerns among rural constituencies regarding wind and solar farms’ visual intrusions and impairment of farmland. But Coalition policy remains unchanged under the new Victorian and NSW leaders, Jess Wilson and Kellie Sloane. The bureaucracy also remains firmly supportive. That said, the agency most at risk of being blamed for a future supply crisis, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), has finally started to advise of the danger from planned closures of the coal generators that it had previously declared unfit for purpose. AEMO is now seeking coal generators provide a five-year notice that they are to close. Australia is a laggard in recognising the detrimental outcomes of political interference to support wind/solar (and hydrogen) in energy policy. Hopefully, a reversal will take place before such measures are forced by the recognition of the catastrophic economic outcomes of high prices and unreliability without countervailing gains

com/wardclark/2025/12/05/trump-set-to-sign-off-on-new-arctic-drilling-surge-n2196834 By Ward Clark Alaska’s Congressional delegation, along with the support of House and Senate Republicans, has scored a major win on the energy front. Representative Nick Begich (AK-At Large) introduced House Joint Resolution 131, stripping Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Begich’s resolution has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate and is headed to President Trump’s desk for signature. Alaska’s entire Congressional delegation supported the move, including Rep. Begich and Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). And no, we’re not tired of winning yet. Alaska’s congressional delegation on Thursday succeeded in stripping Biden-era protections from the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, moving to expand opportunities for drilling there. Senate voted to eliminate the 2024 leasing program for the refuge that put much of the refuge’s 1. 6-million-acre coastal plain off-limits to potential drilling. The measure, introduced by Alaska U. Nick Begich, heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature, after the House passed it last month. The vote opens the door for potential oil and gas activity across the coastal plain, as the Trump administration has sought. The vote does a lot more than just open the door for potential oil and gas activity. We have been noting, pretty much since the day President Trump resumed office, that while we support his agenda, it will take Congressional action to nail a lot of it down. This is just such a Congressional action. It’s a joint resolution, meaning it applies to internal rules and practices. As this is a joint resolution, it requires passage by both the House and Senate and the president’s signature. This resolution relies on the Congressional Review Act to strip away the Biden-era rules. This is another step in unlocking America’s treasure chest. The areas in question in ANWR are estimated to hold 7. 7 billion barrels of oil recoverable with current technology, and the U. Geological Survey has estimated that there may be hundreds of millions of barrels in other areas to the west of the ANWR sites. That’s a lot of black gold. That’s a lot of Alaskan jobs. And that’s a big, big boost to American energy security. Alaska’s Native communities in the area have expressed support for the move

Top UK scientist says research visa restrictions endanger economy 1 day ago Share Save Pallab Ghosh Science Correspondent Share Save BBC Prof Sir Paul Nurse is one of the UK's most influential scientists One of Britain's most distinguished scientists, Prof Sir Paul Nurse, says the government is "shooting itself in the foot" with its visa system for science researchers. Sir Paul told BBC News that high visa fees are deterring early-career researchers, who are instead being welcomed by the UK's economic rivals. Supporters of the current system say higher visa costs help to fund the NHS and reflect wider public concerns about immigration. But the Nobel prize winning scientist says the UK's scientific future is being put at risk. "Having expensive visa costs is shooting yourself in the foot. It absolutely doesn't help in attracting these sorts of people," Sir Paul said. Sir Paul, who has taken over as President of the Royal Society, which represents the UK's leading scientists, warns that countries such as China and Singapore are actively courting overseas scientific talent. "Why do we put hurdles in the way of the people that are actually going to drive our economy? It makes zero sense. " The Nobel prize-winner describes the UK's science base as "fragile" because of a combination of steep visa costs, funding pressures and the negative signal, current immigration rules. He urges ministers to rethink a system that forces scientists to pay an annual NHS surcharge and to prove they have thousands of pounds in the bank before they arrive. PA Sir Paul has been a confidant and advisor to sucessive Prime Ministers, including Boris Johnson Official guidance on the Immigration Health Surcharge explains that visa applicants pay the surcharge to help fund their healthcare. Home Office guidance states that applicants must show set levels of savings to show they can support themselves "without recourse to public funds". The Centre for Policy Studies, a centre-right policy think tank, argues in its report Taking Back Control for net migration to be brought back down to the "tens of thousands. " But its policy expert on the issue, Karl Williams, broadly agrees with Sir Paul's sentiments, but argues that a tight overall migration limit must be maintained after an historically large recent surge in immigration. "The wave of immigration we had between 2021 and 2024 is probably the single most significant demographic event in modern British history… If you say yes to one sector, then you start saying yes to other sectors, and you actually just recreate the problems of recent years. " According to Home Office visa statistics, the total number of people receiving a visa for a job in natural and social science in the last quarter was 323 people. "Even if you doubled that, that wouldn't make a huge difference to the overall migration numbers," Mr Williams told BBC News. "But there is no robust system to make that work, for example having conversations about where numbers can be reduced in order to let more scientists in"

Deep-sea mining tests impact over a third of seabed animals - scientists 22 hours ago Share Save Georgina Rannard Climate and science correspondent Share Save Natural History Museum/ University of Gothenburg A brittlestar found on the seafloor of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone Machines mining minerals in the deep ocean have been found to cause significant damage to life on the seabed, scientists carrying out the largest study of its kind say. The number of animals found in the tracks of the vehicles was reduced by 37% compared to untouched areas, according to the scientists. The researchers discovered more than 4,000 animals, 90% of which were new species, living on the seafloor in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean. Vast amounts of critical minerals needed for green technologies could be locked in the deep ocean, but deep sea mining in international waters is very controversial and currently not permitted until more is known about the environmental impacts. Natural History Museum/ University of Gothenburg This sea urchin was one of the more than 4,000 creatures found The research by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London, the UK National Oceanography Centre and the University of Gothenburg was conducted at the request of deep sea mining company The Metals Company. The scientists said their work was independent and that the company was able to view the results before publication but was not allowed to alter them. The team compared biodiversity two years before and two months after the test mining that drove machines for 80km on the seafloor. They looked specifically at animals 0. 3mm – 2cm in size, such as worms, sea spiders, snails and clams. In the tracks of the vehicle, the number of animals fell by 37% and the diversity of species by 32%. "The machine removes about the top five centimetres of sediment. That's where most of the animals live. So obviously, if you're removing the sediment, you're removing the animals in it too," lead author Eva Stewart, PhD student at the Natural History Museum and the University of Southampton, told BBC News. Natural History Museum/University of Gothenburg The scientists catalogued all the animals they found in the sediment, including this worm "Even if they are not killed by the machine, pollution from the mining operations could slowly kill some less resilient species," said Dr Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras from the National Oceanography Centre. A few of the animals could have moved away, but "whether or not they come back after disturbance is a different question", she added. However, in the areas near the vehicle tracks, where clouds of sediment landed, the abundance of animals did not decrease. "We were expecting possibly a bit more impact, but [we didn't] see much, just a shift in which species were dominant over others," Dr Adrian Glover, research scientist at the Natural History Museum, told BBC News. Natural History Museum/University of Gothenburg An abyssal sea spider was another of macrofauna found during the research "​We're ​encouraged ​by these ​data," a spokesperson for The Metals Company told BBC News. "After ​years ​of ​activist ​alarm ​that ​our ​impacts ​would ​spread ​thousands ​of ​kilometers ​beyond ​the ​mine ​site, ​the ​data ​show ​that ​any ​biodiversity ​impacts ​are ​limited ​to ​the ​directly ​mined ​area," they added. But some experts do not think that this is good news for mining companies. "I think the study shows that current technologies for harvesting are too damaging to permit large-scale commercial exploration," Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow at the Environment and Society Centre at think tank Chatham House, told BBC News. "These were only tests and the impact was significant. If they did that at large scale, it would be even more damaging," he added. Deep sea mining is controversial. At the heart of the debate is a difficult problem. The latest research took place in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a 6m sq km area of the Pacific Ocean estimated to hold over 21bn tonnes of nickel, cobalt and copper-rich polymetallic nodules. The world needs these critical minerals for renewable energy technologies to tackle climate change. They are essential components in solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles, for example. The International Energy Agency predicts that demand for the minerals could at least double by 2040. The minerals have to come from somewhere, but some scientists and environmental groups are gravely concerned that mining the deep seas could cause untold damage. Natural History Museum/University of Gothenburg An abyssal sea star was also found during the research Some fear that before we have the chance to explore the full nature of life in the undiscovered deep ocean, it could be endangered. Oceans play a critical role in regulating our planet and are already at severe risk from rising temperatures

🗣️ Here are several statements made around the recent debate on California’s menopause bill:

1. “With the way he’s overlooked women, he probably shouldn’t be our next president either.”
2. “By vetoing the menopause bill two years in a row, he’s devaluing half the population.”
3. “Illinois is the first state to mandate hormone therapy coverage, and California should be ashamed not to follow.”
4. “Women deserve better — the days of outliving men but doing it in poor health are over.”
5. “I have zero left to give, and I’m going to fight like hell because women’s longevity depends on it.”
6. “The bill would have unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families — something we must avoid.”
7. “By working together, we can expand menopause care without raising bills for women.”

🤔 Your turn: Where’s the fallacy? Which thinking traps can you spot in these statements?

here’s the fallacy?” — Edition: Political Rhetoric
🗣️ Here are a few statements recently made in a heated political back-and-forth:

1. “The president resorts to very bigoted, xenophobic, Islamophobic rhetoric whenever he’s trying to deflect from his own failures.”
2. “This administration hasn’t fulfilled most of its promises — from lowering costs to stopping tariffs that are decimating businesses.”
3. “Somalians ripped off that state for billions of dollars. Every year, billions. And they contribute nothing.”
4. “I don’t want Somali immigrants in the U.S.”
5. “He’s demonizing an entire community — educators, artists, doctors, entrepreneurs — people who bring energy and diversity to Minnesota.”
6. “There are radical Somali migrants invading our country and stealing from American taxpayers.”

🤔 Your turn: Where’s the fallacy? Which thinking traps do you spot in these statements?

🗣️ Fran Lebowitz once said…

“Leaf blowers must be the stupidest invention ever created.”

“Airports were obviously invented by people who hate everyone.”

“If I see adults with those trendy dolls on their bags, I immediately know they look ridiculous.”

“I would never try mountain climbing — I don’t understand why anyone does those things.”

“Contemporary novels aren’t good anymore; people only praise them because the writers are young.”

“We import fruit in February, which just proves everything is terrible now.”

🤔 Your turn: Where’s the fallacy? Which thinking traps can you spot?

Waste from UK's largest opencast mine 'poses significant risk' 24 hours ago Share Save Steffan Messenger , Wales environment correspondent and Gareth Bryer , BBC Wales Share Save Matthew Horwood/Getty Images Ffos-y-Fran opencast coalmine was allowed to go ahead close to homes and businesses in Merthyr Tydfil Concerns have been raised over the safety of three large spoil tips set to be left above Merthyr Tydfil following the closure of the UK's last opencast coalmine. A geotechnical report prepared for the council warns of a "significant risk of slope instability" from Ffos-y-Fran, while campaigners say plans to keep the tips in place are "staggering". Emails obtained by the BBC show the Welsh government is considering stepping in to take control over the final planning decision. Mining firm Merthyr South Wales Ltd (MSW) said suggesting the "purpose-built, engineered structures" pose the same risks as historical coal tips is "incorrect and misleading". Google The three overburden mounds, referred to as OB1, OB2 and OB3, contain a total of approximately 37 million cubic metres of material removed during mining Two years since mining stopped at Ffos-y-Fran, there remains considerable uncertainty over the controversial project's future. Given the go-ahead back in 2005, the UK's largest opencast mine was officially classed as a "land reclamation scheme". That meant part of the profits made from selling 11 million tonnes of coal over 15 years had to be used to clean up the site - riddled with the remains of old industries - and return it to green hillside for the community. "It was supposed to be for public amenity, they were going to reinstate all the rights of way and agricultural use," said Chris Austin, who lives nearby. Now he fears the community will be left with "a dangerous void, dangerous tips and areas we can't use". "It's extremely worrying," agreed Alyson Austin, Chris' wife. "We were forced to accept this opencast coalmine. now we're left with a situation far worse than we had right back at the beginning. " The current developers - MSW - had sparked anger locally and legal action after continuing to dig and sell coal for well over a year past the deadline on their planning permission. They have since submitted a new - and far cheaper - restoration plan, warning of "insufficient funds" available to deliver what had previously been agreed. Chris Austin lives nearby and says the community "had to suffer 17 years of opencast mining" but now may not get the restoration they were promised Under the original proposals, large spoil tips which had built up over the years would have been used to fill in the main mining void, which is 175m (574ft) deep. The tips - known as overburden mounds - contain 37 million cubic metres of material removed while the opencast mine was operating. The company now wants to reduce the height of one tip while leaving the other two in place. It describes them as long-term stable structures and says the mining void itself would become a "natural lake". The application is being considered by planners at Merthyr Tydfil council, who commissioned a geotechnical report from engineering firm WSP. That document concludes that the tips were constructed as "temporary earthworks" and the proposals "do not provide confidence that the tips and slopes will remain stable and will not pose an ongoing risk to the residents of Merthyr Tydfil and a potential financial burden [to the council]". The effect of climate change "does not appear to have been considered" - while in some cases it is "dismissed with no supporting evidence", the consultants warn. They also note that one of the tips - known as OB1 - which rises approximately 170m above a main road running alongside Ffos-y-Fran - had already suffered a landslide in 2022. The report also notes "the recent history of a number of tip failures across south Wales as a result of high rainfall events". Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru's climate spokesperson, warned the residents of Merthyr Tydfil faced having to live with "a botched restoration" and said leaving the tips in place would be "staggering" and "unconscionable". "Coal tips slipping - this is not a theoretical risk," she said. The Welsh government has recently announced a new Disused Tips Authority for Wales, set up in the wake of concerns over the country's coal tips, to be headquartered in Merthyr Tydfil. Haf Elgar, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, warned it could now end up having to add Ffos-y-Fran's overburden mounds to its list of sites to monitor. "That's an added burden on public authorities and totally unacceptable," she said. Matthew Horwood/Getty Images An aerial view from within the main mining void at Ffos-y-Fran, with a tip rising above it In a letter to the council, consultants on behalf of MSW said they had "serious concerns" about the geotechnical report, which they branded a "desk-top assessment". They responded by commissioning their own analysis from geological and mining consultancy James Associates, countering WSP's conclusions as to the tips' stability. It says the overburden mounds were constructed to an approved design in compliance with regulations and had been monitored by a specialist. The landslide on OB1 had happened as a result of excavation work, and the likelihood of it failing in future could be "absolutely minimised" with appropriate engineering, it said. Referring to recent landslides from old colliery tips in south Wales was "a case of comparing 'apples and pears'", the mine's consultants added. Generally colliery tips were located on steep hillsides, whereas Ffos-y-Fran's overburden mounds sit "on ground with gentle gradients", with differences too in terms of how they were constructed and their drainage systems, they said. The company also makes the case that its new proposals are more sustainable, cutting down on carbon emissions and air pollution from the heavy machinery needed to reprofile the land while delivering "a more interesting and naturally biodiverse landscape". How much would it cost to restore Ffos-y-Fran? Estimates vary as to how much removing the tips and filling the void would cost, ranging from £50m to £175m. "The most recently published company accounts. (March 2025) include provision of some £91. 2m for meeting the requirements of the approved restoration scheme," the council notes in a recent letter to the firm. But there now "appears to be a reliance" on the company using funds from a £15m account set up jointly with the council as a backup in case the firm went bust. The mine's consultants respond, saying detailed costings "are currently being prepared". Chris Austin Merthyr South Wales Ltd says its overburden mounds cannot be compared with historical coal tips Last year the Senedd's environment committee described oversight of Ffos-y-Fran coalmine as "a case of epic mismanagement", which now threatened to leave "a permanent scar" above Merthyr Tydfil. Campaigners have urged the Welsh government to take over the decision-making process. But in emails, officials noted "the possible consequences of such action, including the risk of site abandonment". They had written to the council in August requesting further information. "Given the level of risk. we are mindful of the need to ensure we provide a robust evidence base to the Welsh ministers to underpin any options they may wish to pursue," the email says. Ms Jewell, a Senedd member for South East Wales, said the Welsh government had a "moral obligation to the safety of the residents of Merthyr Tydfil" and should intervene. The mining void is 175m deep in places