Environment

Congo to ban log exports to reduce pressure on its forests

Democratic Republic of Congo's environment minister said the country intends to ban all log exports and implement other measures to lessen threats to its carbon-absorbing tropical rainforest, a major bulwark…

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Plastic waste is hurting women in developing countries – but there are ways to stop it

If we are to build a greener, fairer and more equal society in the wake of COVID-19, it’s time for rich countries to end their practice of dumping plastic waste…

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Volvo Trucks says launches world’s first fossil-free steel vehicle

Truck maker AB Volvo said on Wednesday it had produced a prototype of what it said would be the world's first vehicles made of fossil-free steel. Volvo and steel-maker SSAB…

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UN declares access to a clean environment a human right

GENEVA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council on Friday recognised access to a clean and healthy environment as a fundamental right, formally adding its weight to the…

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Kering, Cartier launch environmental pact for watches, jewellery

French luxury group Kering , Richemont's Cartier, and the Responsible Jewellery Council have teamed up to set environmental targets for watches and jewellery activities, challenging labels in the industry to…

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Clean environment could become U.N. human right. Not so fast, say U.S., Britain

Britain and the United States are among a few countries withholding support for a proposal brought at the United Nations that would recognise access to a safe and healthy environment…

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Protecting indigenous people key to saving Amazon, say environmentalists

Protecting the native inhabitants of the Amazon and their right to ancestral lands is crucial to saving the rainforest because they are its best guardians, environmental activists said on Monday.…

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McDonald’s pledges net-zero emissions by 2050

McDonald's says it aims to cut its global greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The target covers everything from the beef in its burgers to the lights in its…

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U.S. to declare 23 species officially extinct

The ivory-billed woodpecker, whose last confirmed sighting was nearly 80 years ago, is one of 23 federally protected species that would be officially declared extinct - the most ever at…

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World’s youth take to the streets again to battle climate change

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Young people around the world took to the streets on Friday to demand urgent action to avert disastrous climate change, in their largest protest since the start…

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EU countries struggle to agree approach to COP26 climate talks

BRUSSELS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - European Union countries are struggling to agree their negotiating position for the COP26 climate change conference, with rifts emerging over timeframes for emissions-cutting pledges, according…

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Malta: Maltese architects propose aggressive afforestation plan for Malta

A group of local architects and engineers have released an afforestation proposal for the Maltese islands, proposal, outlining the concept of planting of indigenous trees in a series of designated…

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Global Witness reports 227 land and environmental activists murdered in a single year, the worst figure on record

As the climate crisis intensifies, violence against defenders of the earth is escalating. A new report reveals that 227 land and environmental activists were murdered in 2020 for defending their…

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Extreme heat ravages Greece’s mussel harvest

Fisherman Stefanos Sougioultzis cracks open the mussels he cultivated in Greece’s Aegean Sea only to find scores of empty shells. After a summer of scorching heat and warming waters, it…

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Serbian protesters demand more action to stop industrial pollution

BELGRADE (Reuters) - About 2,000 protesters marched through Belgrade on Saturday to urge Serbia's government to do more to prevent industrial pollution, and some denounced plans by Anglo-Australian miner Rio…

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Evening Read: Events that may shake markets in September

After a summer in which stocks have hit a seemingly never-ending run of record highs, September brings a series of monetary and political events that could jolt investors out of…

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Europe just had its warmest summer on record, EU scientists say

Europe had its warmest summer on record this year, though only by a small margin over two previous highest temperatures for June-August, European Union scientists said on Tuesday. The EU's…

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Shipping industry proposes levy to speed up zero carbon future

Leading shipping associations have proposed creating a global levy on carbon emissions from ships to help speed up the industry's efforts to go greener. With about 90% of world trade…

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U.N. urges Australia to speed up efforts to drop coal

Australia's government should increase its efforts to phase out coal or else climate change will dramatically damage the country's economy, Selwin Hart, the United Nations special adviser on climate change,…

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Some 30% of global tree species at risk of extinction -report

Almost a third of the world's tree species are at risk of extinction, while hundreds are on the brink of being wiped out, according to a landmark report published by…

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Malta: PN launches an environmental working group

The Nationalist Party has launched an environmental working group dubbed PN Greens which will be led by general election candidate Janice Chetcuti. During a press conference on Tuesday, party leader…

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England to ban single-use plastic cutlery

The government has announced plans to ban single-use plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene cups in England as part of what it calls a "war on plastic". Ministers said the move…

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EU Funds Encouraging Sustainable Waste Practices in Households and Beyond

According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, climate change ranks among the biggest concerns of the Maltese population, with citizens asking for more action to protect the environment. Research shows that…

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Indonesia project to convert fuel-powered motorbikes to electric

Indonesia launched a pilot project to convert motorcycles that run on combustion engines into electric-powered vehicles, part of a national drive to make transport more environmentally friendly, the energy ministry…

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China to step up tree planting campaign to help reach net zero

China will plant 36,000 square kilometres of new forest a year - more than the total area of Belgium - from this year to 2025 as it bids to combat…

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Thunberg: ‘Massive public pressure’ needed to galvanize climate fight

Calling for "massive" pressure to fight climate change after Monday's dire report by a U.N. science panel, activist Greta Thunberg said she plans to go to this year’s global climate conference in…

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Social media houseplant craze blamed for devastating succulent poaching across Africa

A houseplant craze on social media and Asian collectors are driving a devastating wave of illegal succulent poaching across Africa, threatening rare plant species with extinction in the wild. Botanists…

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South Italy among EU areas most vulnerable to climate change

In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer of 2021 will also be remembered for extreme events such as heatwaves, wildfires and floods which experts say are the effect of…

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Bottled water 3,500 times worse for environment than tap, study finds

The impact of bottled water on the environment is 3,500 times greater than tap water, a study suggests. Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) found that if…

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MSC, Fincantieri and Snam to assess hydrogen cruise ship feasibility

Swiss-based shipping group MSC, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and gas group Snam are joining forces on a feasibility study with a view to building the world's first hydrogen-powered cruise ship. The…

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From China to Germany, floods expose climate vulnerability

Deadly floods that have upended life in both China and Germany have sent a stark reminder that climate change is making weather more extreme across the globe. At least 25…

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Ai Weiwei unveils giant iron tree in Porto to warn people what they risk losing

Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei unveiled a 32-meter-tall (105 ft) tropical tree made of iron in the Portuguese city of Porto, an artwork he hopes will raise awareness of…

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Israel seeks to tax disposables to reduce plastic use

JERUSALEM, July 19 (Reuters) - Israel plans to impose a steep purchase tax on disposable utensils to discourage their use and protect the environment, government agencies said on Monday. "We…

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EU eyes new targets to protect forests

The European Commission on Friday published an outline for proposals on how to improve the health of Europe's forests and harness their ability to fight climate change, including through legally…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta suggests appointing a top official to oversee public cleanliness or giving additional powers to the commissioner for the environment and planning at the office of the Ombudsman.…

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California consumers sue over plastic bottles’ ‘deceptive’ recycling labels

California consumers and the Sierra Club have sued the Coca-Cola Company and other companies that sell leading bottled-water brands in San Francisco federal court, accusing them in separate lawsuits of…

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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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