World News

MEPs say EU needs legally binding targets to protect nature

The European Union needs legally binding measures to protect nature and biodiversity, the European Parliament said on Wednesday, warning that previous voluntary plans have failed to deliver. The EU's executive…

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Australia’s carbon emissions drop 5% in 2020

Australia's carbon emissions fell by 5% in 2020 with growth in wind and solar energy, a hit to transport from coronavirus lockdowns, and a rise in carbon capture at the…

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Back from the brink: Iberian lynx population rises to over 1,000

The Iberian lynx population in Portugal and Spain rose above 1,000 last year after 414 cubs were born under a joint breeding programme, in a major leap towards conserving the…

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Nature funding must triple by 2030 to protect land, wildlife and climate

Global annual spending to protect and restore nature needs to triple this decade to about $350 billion by 2030 and rise to $536 billion by 2050, a U.N. report said…

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Doctors for Extinction Rebellion collective hold demonstration outside WHO headquarters in Geneva

Medics concerned about the effects on public health of environmental degradation marched on the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva on Saturday (May 29), demanding health authorities make climate change and biodiversity loss their top priorities. White-clad…

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UK declines to rule out new oil exploration despite climate report

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom will not commit to halting new oil exploration in the North Sea, a government energy body told Reuters, despite a warning from the world's…

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Turkey bans most plastic waste imports

Greenpeace welcomed a ban by Ankara on imports of most plastic waste after the environmental group said it uncovered exports, some possibly illegal, from Britain and Germany that created “mountains”…

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EU to tighten rules on ship recycling, restore areas of seas and oceans

The European Union on Monday said it would toughen its rules on ship recycling and decommissioning offshore oil and gas sites, and set new targets to restore damaged marine ecosystems.…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that Malta appears to be slowly clawing its way out of the hole it had dug for itself when it comes to money-laundering legislation The Malta…

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German government, aviation sector agree on ‘green’ aviation fuel plan

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has agreed with the aviation industry and regional authorities on a roadmap for the development and use of “green” aviation fuel, a government paper seen…

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Start-ups aim to change car battery recycling, clean up world’s most polluting industry

A handful of startups are trying to find a new way to recycle used car batteries, using water, chemicals and electricity to produce lead instead of the hazardous, high-heat smelting…

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Australia’s Victoria state commits to halving emissions by 2030

Australia's second-largest state of Victoria on Sunday committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% by 2030, based on 2005 levels, and to power all government operations like…

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Amazon and Nestle join public-private plan to save world’s forests

The United States, Norway and Britain joined forces with companies including Amazon and Nestle to launch a project aimed at protecting the world’s tropical forests. Announcing the Lowering Emissions by…

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Maltese Editors Perspectives

The Times of Malta notes recent changes at the FIAU, saying that enacting good legislation is a crucial first step in proving Malta’s commitment to the rule of law. But…

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Pandemic made 2020 ‘the year of the quiet ocean’, say scientists

The Covid-19 lockdown has produced the quietest year for the world’s oceans in recent memory, according to a group of scientists working on a global map of underwater soundscapes. Noise…

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Most European city-dwellers support 2030 ban on combustion car sales, survey finds

A majority of residents of European cities support a Europe-wide phaseout of combustion engine car sales from 2030 to reduce planet-warming emissions, a YouGov poll conducted on behalf of environmental…

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Thousands protest in Belgrade, demand government action to stop pollution

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Several thousand people blocked traffic in front of the Serbian parliament on Saturday in a protest against lack of government action to prevent water, land and air…

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Malta: ‘Extensive damage’ to Red Tower, caused by ‘idiotic behaviour’, to be repaired

"Extensive damage" to the newly restored Red Tower in Mellieħa, "caused by young people using the site for the wrong purpose" will be repaired on Saturday, Din l-Art Ħelwa has said.…

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European Commission, France flag growing support for carbon border levy

Support is building for a European levy on imports from countries with easier carbon emissions standards, senior European Union and French officials said , as the bloc seeks to impose…

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Two-thirds of tropical rainforest destroyed or degraded globally

Humans have degraded or destroyed roughly two-thirds of the world’s original tropical rainforest cover, new data reveals – raising alarm that a key natural buffer against climate change is quickly…

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Four governments offer early support for EU carbon market reforms

France, Italy, Denmark and Sweden back plans to reduce the amount of permits in the European Union carbon market to drive deeper CO2 cuts, supporting one of the key reforms…

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Israeli beaches hit by mystery oil spill

Israel is trying to find the ship responsible for an oil spill that drenched much of its Mediterranean shoreline with tar, an environmental blow that will take months or years…

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Bill Gates warns that manufacturing could challenge climate goals

Bill Gates exudes optimism in discussing the world’s ability to tackle climate change – until he hits on manufacturing. About that, he is worried. There is currently no way to…

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Malta: ENGOs propose new layout for Msida Creek

Six ENGOs: ROTA, Din l-Art Helwa, FAA, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta and Friends of the Earth Malta have expressed their concern at the proposed plans for the Msida Creek…

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EU Council adopts conclusions on climate and energy diplomacy

EU Foreign Ministers have reached agreement on a numebr of Climate and Energy Diplomacy targets, with the intended objective of delivering on the external dimension of the European Green Deal. The Council recognised…

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U.S. “proud to be back” in climate fight, Kerry tells leaders

The United States is "proud to be back" in international efforts to tackle global warming, Washington's new special climate envoy John Kerry told a summit of world leaders on Monday.…

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Malta: Imports of single-use plastics banned from Friday

The ban on imports of single-use plastic products such as bags, cutlery, cotton buds, and straws will come into effect from Friday 1 January. Selling and distributing single-use plastic goods…

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WTO fails to agree rules to stop over-fishing, but will try again

World Trade Organization negotiators have failed to reach a deal by a year-end deadline to cut the subsidies that have helped decimate the world's fish stocks, but will try again next year, the…

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France plans to jail environmental offenders for 10 years under new laws

France is set to make serious intentional damage to the environment punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as part of a planned "ecocide" law, government ministers said in…

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Britain to ban new petrol cars and vans by 2030 on road to net zero emissions

Britain will move up a ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and is eyeing 250,000 new jobs as part of a green industrial revolution, Prime…

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Over €280 million in EU funding for environment, nature and climate action projects

The European Commission has approved an investment package of more than €280 million from the EU budget for over 120 new LIFE programme projects. This EU funding will trigger total investments of…

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UK to ban sale of new diesel and petrol cars in 2030

The U.K. will move up a planned ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars to 2030, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, as part of the government’s plan to…

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European Investment Bank approves 1 trillion euro green plan

European Union governments approved a 1 trillion euro ($1.2 trillion) green "roadmap" for the bloc's lending arm on Wednesday that will see it stop financing fossil fuel projects and airport…

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Malta: President says development in Gozo shouldn’t take place at the cost of nature

President of Malta George Vella stressed on the importance that development in Gozo does not take place at the expense of the natural environment, which is one of the main…

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Commission proposes fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2021

On Tuesday, the Commission published its proposal setting out catch limits for fish stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea. Based on this proposal, EU fisheries ministers will set…

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Exposure to air pollution may accelerate Covid-19 deaths

Exposure to air pollution may be linked to some 15% of Covid-19 deaths worldwide, according to research published Tuesday that highlights the health risks posed by greenhouse gas emissions. Previous…

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World should look at all options to reduce emissions, Saudi energy min says

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said on Monday the world should be looking at all options to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases in its fight against climate change, but that getting…

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Malta: FAA, ADPD’s Cacopardo and Maghtab Residents rally against incinerator

ADPD leader Carmel Cacopardo, together with Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar and residents from Bahar ic-Caghaq have submitted their objections to the Maghtab incinerator in response to the Environment Impact Assessment currently…

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Reports Japan preparing to release Fukushima’s contaminated water into sea

Nearly a decade after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan’s government has decided to release contaminated water from the destroyed plant into the sea, media reports said on Friday, with a…

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€9.4 billion budget needed for new EU health programme

To fill gaps exposed by COVID-19 and ensure that health systems can face future threats to public health, an ambitious EU health programme is needed, say MEPs. On Wednesday, the…

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Europe plans greener buildings to cut emissions, fight poverty

The European Union set out plans on Wednesday to launch a wave of green building renovations across Europe to cut greenhouse gas emissions and help people struggling to pay energy…

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Pope Francis – “Pull investments from companies not committed to environment”

Pope Francis on Saturday urged people to pull investments from companies that are not committed to protecting the environment, adding his voice to calls for the economic model that emerges…

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‘Real and imminent’ extinction risk to whales

More than 350 scientists and conservationists from 40 countries have signed a letter calling for global action to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises from extinction. They say more than half…

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Top global traders push to cut shipping emissions

Some of the world's biggest commodities and energy players on Wednesday launched an initiative to cut and track emissions from the ships they charter as efforts intensify to reduce the…

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European Parliament backs a 60% EU emissions-cutting target for 2030

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of a legally binding target for the European Union to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030, against 1990 levels,…

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Environment: Upgrade of Single European Sky regulations on the cards

by KEITH ZAHRA The European Commission is proposing an upgrade of the Single European Sky regulatory framework which comes on the heels of the European Green Deal. The objective is…

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Food companies urge Britain to adopt tougher rules to protect tropical forests

Supermarkets, food manufacturers and restaurant chains under pressure from campaigners over their environmental impact urged Britain on Monday to strengthen a plan to stop tropical forests from being cut down…

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Concern about ‘ecological disaster’ in Russian Far East

Russia told residents to stay away from a pristine beach in the Far East due to unexplained water pollution that Greenpeace said was evidence of an “ecological disaster” and had…

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Clothes mountains build up as recycling breaks down

Clothes recycling is the pressure-release valve of fast fashion, and it's breaking under COVID-19 curbs. The multi-billion-dollar trade in second-hand clothing helps prevent the global fashion industry's growing pile of…

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Plastic straws and cotton buds banned in England from today

A delayed ban stopping businesses from handing out plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds to customers comes into force today in England. April had been the original deadline for the…

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David Attenborough leads call for world to invest $500 bln a year to protect nature

British broadcaster David Attenborough led a call from conservation groups on Wednesday for the world to invest $500 billion a year to halt the destruction of nature, warning that the…

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Malta: Country classifies 32nd out of 166 countries on action related to sustainable development

Malta has classified 32nd out of 166 countries on action related to sustainable development. This was said by the Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar who said that work does not…

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Poland to close coal mines by 2049 in deal with unions

Poland's government struck a deal with trade unions on Friday to gradually close its coal mines by 2049, the two sides said, confirming a Reuters report. Poland generates most of…

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Australia counts record 470 stranded whales as rescue continues

Rescuers were racing against the tide on Wednesday to free whales beached off the Australian coast, with more than half the estimated 470 mammals in the country’s biggest stranding on…

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France plans for airline environmental tax to be put on hold

France is preparing to put plans for new environmental taxes on the airline sector on hold, officials said on Friday, despite a government push to speed up moves towards a…

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Comuniq.EU – Environment

by Keith Zahra EU plans to cut greenhouse emissions further is technically and economically possible A European Union plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 is…

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Concern as birds are dropping dead in the ‘hundreds of thousands’ in New Mexico

Wildlife experts in New Mexico say birds in the region are dropping dead in alarming numbers, potentially in the "hundreds of thousands." “It appears to be an unprecedented and a…

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