Category Archives: News

Countries Meet in Rome for Second COP16 Biodiversity Conference

Posted on by February 24, 2025

Countries are meeting in Rome this week for the United Nations 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), where they will attempt to devise a strategy on how to generate $200 billion annually for the preservation of the planet’s biodiversity.

The main goal of the February 25 to 27 meeting is to review nations’ progress in carrying out their commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which includes targets such as protecting 30 percent of the planet’s land and oceans by the end of the decade. 

Oscar Soria, co-CEO of The Common Initiative, an NGO think tank that focuses on global environmental and economic policy, said nations must rise above political tensions to focus on financing biodiversity, The Global and Mail reported.

“This could be a historic moment, if they choose ambition,” Soria said. “The question is whether they will fight for the future like gladiators or let this opportunity slip away.”

After KMGBF was established in 2022, countries met in Cali, Colombia, last October to discuss the details of how to finance it.

However, while the Cali Fund was established for the collection of company profits derived from nature’s genetic data, negotiators at the first COP16 weren’t able to agree on how the funds should be managed or who else should contribute.

“The Global Biodiversity Framework is more than just a set of aspirations – it’s our blueprint for a more sustainable and equitable future – one that prioritises nature’s integral value to our everyday lives. We cannot afford to let this slip through our fingers. The last thing the world needs right now is more roadblocks stunting the critical progress needed on global environmental commitments,” said Kirsten Schuijt, director general of WWF International, in a press release from WWF.

According to WWF, since 1970, the number of vertebrates in the wild has plummeted 73 percent.

At the close of COP16 in Cali, countries had committed only $163 million of the $30 billion per year that was being sought by 2030. It is not expected that there will be significant public finance pledges in Rome, but observers would like more transparency about how much is being paid by whom to support biodiversity, reported The Globe and Mail.

“Parties are expected to complete a crucial step by finalizing the monitoring framework agreed upon at COP 15. The monitoring framework is essential to the implementation of the KMGBF because it provides the common yardsticks that Parties will use to measure progress against the 23 targets,” a UN press release said. “On [Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review], Parties are expected to make important decisions on how progress in the implementation of the KMGBF will be reviewed at COP17 as part of the planned global stocktake.”

One of the toughest challenges is figuring out how to get richer European and other countries to give money to help poorer nations when the willingness to give low-interest loans or grants has been falling during a wider cost-of-living crisis, The Globe and Mail reported.

Though the United States is not a participant in COP16, recent Trump administration policy shifts could have an effect on other countries’ willingness to pledge funds and support pro-nature policies.

Poorer nations put the blame for most of the world’s biodiversity loss on companies and countries in the Global North, saying they should pay the lion’s share of the costs. Meanwhile, rich countries like those in Europe want to see sovereign wealth funds, countries in the Gulf States and other growing middle-income nations contribute more.

“At least US$20 billion per year was promised to developing countries by 2025, as well as action on identifying and redirecting US$500 billion in harmful subsidies to nature. Crucial to all funding is ensuring Indigenous Peoples and local communities receive direct access to funds to continue their role as custodians of the world’s biodiversity. We’re already in 2025 – these commitments must be honoured,” said Guido Broekhoven, head of policy research and development at WWF.

In the face of reluctance to donate money as grants, there is rising pressure to add funding from other sources, such as domestic resources, the private sector and lending through development banks.

Countries at COP16 in Rome will also discuss ways to divert an estimated $500 billion that is spent annually on subsidies and other funding incentives for projects that hurt the environment into activities that are nature-friendly.

Where to house any raised funds is also an issue, with the potential to create a new fund or for nations to use an existing one, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-run Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.

Europe is fine with GEF managing any funds, but others, such as Brazil and Democratic Republic of Congo, have argued for a new system over which they would potentially have more of a voice.

“Countries must come to Rome committed to having constructive dialogues and with a genuine political will to find the best way forward on finance. Biodiversity loss will have far-reaching consequences that humanity is yet to even fully grasp. Countries have no option but to work together to lay a strong, just, and well-resourced path to reaching our shared biodiversity goals, because the road to 2030 must be built together – or we risk never reaching it at all,” Schuijt said.

The post Countries Meet in Rome for Second COP16 Biodiversity Conference appeared first on EcoWatch.

Canada to Build One of the Largest Urban Solar Power Plant Projects in North America

Posted on by February 24, 2025

A new, utility-scale solar power plant proposed for a 1,600-acre site in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada is expected to be one of the largest urban solar power projects in all of North America.

The 325 megawatt (MW) Saamis Solar Park proposal was recently sold to Medicine Hat, as Mother Jones reported. The project, developed by DP Energy, is slated for a brownfield site with otherwise limited development potential, as it contains a capped phosphogypsum stack. 

As explained by the Center for Biological Diversity, phosphogypsum is a radioactive substance leftover from the processing of phosphate ore into phosphoric acid, which is a common fertilizer ingredient. Leftover phosphogypsum is often disposed of by stacking the waste, then covering it with soil to minimize radon exposure, as phosphogypsum can form radon as it decays.

“Not only is it a productive use of a large area of contaminated land with limited development potential, it now also has the potential to contribute to the city’s energy transition to clean, renewable power,” Damian Bettles, DP Energy’s North America head of development, told Canada’s National Observer.

Irish firm DP Energy sells north America’s largest urban solar project to Medicine Hat

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— Business Post (@businesspost.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:50 AM

In addition to redeveloping a brownfield site, the Saamis project takes advantage of the sunniest city in Canada. According to a city marketing campaign Move to Medicine Hat, the city has an average of 330 sunny days per year. By comparison, that’s more than each of the top 10 sunniest cities in the U.S., as reported by MSN.

The project was first approved for development rights for the proposed site in 2017 and received the development permit in 2021, Energy Global reported. Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) approved construction and operation in 2024 and recently approved the sale from DP Energy to the city of Medicine Hat.

The project is now ready to begin construction, and Medicine Hat is seeking approval to launch the project in phases, starting with adding 75 MW.

DP Energy reported that the project will include more than 600,000 solar panels, fixed and tilt panel racks, inverter and transformer stations, an electrical collection system, access roads, and a substation to connect the plant to the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (AIES).

Once completed, the 325 MW project is expected to meet peak energy demand for much of the city, including industrial facilities, commercial buildings and the homes of 65,000 residents. In total, the project could offset about 350,000 tons of carbon emissions per year, Energy Global reported.

As Medicine Hat News reported, the project will be among the biggest urban solar sites in North America, following behind the Copper Mountain Solar Facility, located in Boulder City, Nevada, which has an 802 MW capacity. In Alberta, the project will trail behind the Travers Solar Project, with 465 MW capacity, which is not an urban solar plant but is located in Vulcan County and has the highest solar energy production capacity in Canada.

Moving forward, the city may consider adding battery storage, additional solar and wind projects to further the clean energy transition.

“Overall we are looking for proven technologies that can provide affordable power to our rate base and our own internal carbon compliance,” Travis Tuchscherer, director of energy marketing and business analysis, told Canada’s National Observer.

The post Canada to Build One of the Largest Urban Solar Power Plant Projects in North America appeared first on EcoWatch.

France’s Parliament Bans PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Key Products

Posted on by February 24, 2025

The French Parliament voted on Thursday for ambitious new legislation to limit the sale and production of some products that contain toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals,” including cosmetics, most clothing and ski wax.

The bill seeks to prevent the import, sale and production of any product that has an alternative to PFAS, except certain industrial textiles that are deemed “essential,” beginning in January of 2026, reported AFP.

“In a relatively short space of time, two and a half years, thanks to the mobilization of members of parliament, NGOs, scientists and investigative journalists, a subject that was under the radar has made its way into the public debate, to the point where France now has one of the world’s most ambitious laws on PFAS,” said French environmentalist Nicolas Thierry, a Green Party MP and the bill’s rapporteur, as Le Monde reported.

France adopts 'one of the most ambitious' laws on PFAS

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— Le Monde in English (@lemonde-en.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 8:39 AM

Only last month, health and environmental organizations throughout Europe wrote a joint letter urging President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to take action against PFAS.

The coalition called on von der Leyen to “end the worst pollution crisis in human history” with a ban on the hazardous substances. She had promised to do so under the European Green Deal’s 2022 “zero pollution” strategy.

PFAS are a group of thousands of human-made chemical compounds used to make products waterproof, nonstick and stain-resistant, but have been found to cause a wide range of health problems.

Referred to as “forever chemicals,” the dangerous substances have made their way into drinking water and the food chain through soil and groundwater, and have now been found almost everywhere on the planet, from the peak of Mount Everest to the human body.

Chronic PFAS exposure, even at low levels, has been associated with high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, liver damage and several types of cancer.

Non-stick saucepans were to be banned in the original draft of France’s new law, but intense lobbying by the owner of French manufacturer Tefal led to their removal, reported AFP.

The regulation will require French authorities to conduct regular testing of drinking water for PFAS.

A January 2025 study found that one type of PFAS associated with birth defects and health problems had been discovered in the drinking water of many towns and cities in France, including Paris.

Beginning next year, new European Union regulations will require member states to test their drinking water for 20 types of PFAS. The EU has been considering a potential ban on PFAS use in consumer products, but so far no regulation has been implemented.

“This ban on PFAS in products like clothing and cosmetics is great news for French citizens worried about their exposure to these harmful chemicals. The not so good news is that some key products like cookware were exempted. Now France needs to get firmly behind an EU wide restriction on PFAS ensuring more products are included and citizens of all member states are protected,” said Sandra Bell, policy and advocacy advisor at nonprofit CHEM Trust.

The post France’s Parliament Bans PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Key Products appeared first on EcoWatch.

Countries Use More Land for Golf Courses Than for Solar or Wind Energy: Study

Posted on by February 21, 2025

The amount of land needed for renewable energy projects is sometimes criticized, but a new study points out that, in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, much more land gets allocated for golf courses than renewable energy facilities.

The study, “Countries across the world use more land for golf courses than wind or solar energy,” was published in the journal Environmental Research Communications.

“Land use is a critical factor in the siting of renewable energy facilities and is often scrutinized due to perceived conflicts with other land demands. Meanwhile, substantial areas are devoted to activities such as golf, which are accessible to only a select few and have a significant land and environmental footprint,” the authors of the study wrote.

In the 10 countries in the world that have the most golf courses, a course’s area could support as much as 659 gigawatts (GW) of wind capacity and 842 GW of solar capacity, which exceeds the installed capacity for many of the renewable energy facilities, IOP Publishing reported.

🌍 More land is allocated to golf courses than renewable energy, a new study in our journal Environmental Research Communications shows: ow.ly/y6WR50V4l8c. We don’t suggest eliminating golf courses, but it highlights the potential of rethinking land use to boost renewable energy. 🌱

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— IOP Publishing (@ioppublishing.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 10:53 AM

“In many of these countries, this potential exceeds both current installed capacity and medium-term projections,” the authors wrote in the study.

Golf courses have an outsized environmental impact, as they usually require chemical treatments and large amounts of water. On the other hand, solar farms, wind turbines and other renewable energy installations offer an option for sustainable land use that directly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Roughly 0.01 square kilometers of land is required per megawatt (MW) for utility-scale solar farms, while wind farms need 0.12 square kilometers for each MW, though just a small fraction of the land is impacted by infrastructure and turbines.

“These findings underscore the untapped potential of rethinking land use priorities to accelerate the transition to renewable energy,” the authors wrote in the study.

Lead author of the findings Dr. Jann Weinand, who is head of the department of Integrated Scenarios at the Institute Jülich Systems Analysis at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, said the study was not advocating for golf courses to be directly converted, but that it “highlights the vast potential for renewable energy on similarly large and underutilized areas.”

“In light of the ongoing debates about land use for renewables, it is crucial to consider how we allocate land overall — especially when significant space is dedicated to activities that benefit only a limited segment of the population,” Weinand said, as reported by IOP Publishing.

The post Countries Use More Land for Golf Courses Than for Solar or Wind Energy: Study appeared first on EcoWatch.

Collecting Fog Could Help Provide Water in Arid Cities, Study Says

Posted on by February 21, 2025

Researchers have determined multiple ways that harvested fog could help meet water demand in arid cities, particularly those within the driest area on Earth, the Atacama Desert. From providing drinking water to irrigating landscapes to supporting hydroponic gardening, the new research shows promise in fog-harvesting technology.

In the study published in Frontiers in Environmental Science, scientists investigated the potential of fog collection in Alto Hospicio, Chile, an area threatened by water scarcity. The region receives less than 0.19 inches, or 5 millimeters, of rain per year, the BBC reported. Further, the Alto Hospicio region relies on underground aquifers for drinking water, and those aquifers have not been replenished in 10,000 to 17,000 years.

While fog harvesting for water has been considered previously, the study authors noted that this method is typically considered for rural areas. However, the scientists found that fog harvesting could also supplement the water supply in larger urban areas.

“This research represents a notable shift in the perception of fog water use — from a rural, rather small-scale solution to a practical water resource for cities,” Virginia Carter Gamberini, co-author of the study and assistant professor at Universidad Mayor, said in a statement. “Our findings demonstrate that fog can serve as a complementary urban water supply in drylands where climate change exacerbates water shortages.”

Fog harvesting in Chile's Atacama Desert shows potential as a supplementary urban water source, collecting up to 10 liters per square meter daily, aiding water-scarce regions with sustainable solutions.

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— Science X / Phys.org (@sciencex.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 12:32 AM

Researchers used Standard Fog Collectors (SFC), originally described in a 1994 study, to capture fog and measure the water harvested from it. The SFC is a mesh device suspended between two posts and attached to a metal channel with a coating to protect from corrosion. The metal channel then funnels that water into storage tanks with rain gauges that could measure the amount of water harvested from the fog every 10 minutes.

The team conducted their observations from October 2023 to October 2024 and coupled the results with modeling to further determine the fog collection potential.

They found that they could harvest an average of about 0.2 to 4.9 liters of water from fog per square meter per day within a total area spanning 100 square kilometers. During peak fog times of the year, the SFCs collected up to 10 liters of water per square meter each day. In December, fog water collection was zero.

They found that early mornings, between midnight and 9 a.m., yielded the most fog, with about 140 milliliters per square meter collected every 10 minutes.

“By showcasing its potential in Alto Hospicio, one of Chile’s most stigmatized yet rapidly urbanizing cities, this study lays the groundwork for broader adoption in other water-scarce urban areas,” said Nathalie Verbrugghe, co-author of the paper and a researcher at Université libre de Bruxelles.

These insights allowed the researchers to explore potential use cases for this water, especially if governments place the SFCs in areas with higher fog potential. The authors determined that about 17,000 square meters of mesh would be necessary to meet 300,000 liters of water demand. While this option wouldn’t be a sole solution to water scarcity, the authors emphasized it could offer an additional source of water to help meet demand.

In addition to providing potable water to households, the authors found that this collected water would be useful for irrigating farms and hydroponic gardens because it typically doesn’t require much treatment. With an average collection of 2.5 liters of water per square meter each day, this water could yield about 15 to 20 kilograms of hydroponically grown vegetables per day in Alto Hospicio, according to the study.

However, the authors wrote that the fog water quality will be dependent on air quality, so testing will be important in evaluating the potability of the harvested water. Further, cities would need to invest in infrastructure to collect, store and distribute the collected water.

“We hope to encourage policymakers to integrate this renewable source into national water strategies,” Carter said. “This could enhance urban resilience to climate change and rapid urbanization while improving access to clean water.”

The post Collecting Fog Could Help Provide Water in Arid Cities, Study Says appeared first on EcoWatch.

Most Voters in Eight Western States Support Conservation Over Oil and Gas Drilling on Public Lands: Poll

Posted on by February 21, 2025

In the newest edition of Colorado College’s Conservation in the West Poll, nearly three-quarters — 72 percent — of respondents from eight states said they supported boosting outdoor recreation and the protection of water, clean air and wildlife habitat by their congressional representatives over maximizing oil and gas drilling on public lands.

The 14th annual survey by the Rockies Project showed that 67 percent of voters in eight Mountain West states — Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada — are concerned about the future of water, land and wildlife.

“Majorities of voters view issues like loss of habitats and declining fish and wildlife populations, inadequate and polluted water supplies, microplastics, uncontrollable wildfires, air pollution, loss of pollinators, and loss of natural spaces as extremely or very serious problems in their state,” a press release from Colorado College said.

More than half of Western voters — 66 percent — believe the impacts of the climate crisis over the past decade have been significant in the state where they live. And 85 percent of voters — including 96 percent of Democrats, 87 percent of Independents and 74 percent of Republicans — say issues that involve clear air and water, public lands and wildlife are important to their decision of who to vote for.

“There may be a lot that divides voters across the country, but in the West there is nearly universal consensus in favor of conservation,” said Katrina Miller-Stevens, associate professor at Colorado College and director of the State of the Rockies Project, in the press release.

When asked their preference for what congressional representatives should put more emphasis on, 70 percent were in favor of protecting air quality, clean water and wildlife habitats while also providing opportunities for recreation on public lands.

That is in contrast to just over a quarter of voters — 26 percent — who would rather more domestic energy production be ensured by maximizing the availability of public lands for oil and gas exploration and mining. It was the first time in the history of the poll that the prioritization of conservation over maximized energy production received a majority of support from both Independents and Republicans.

“Westerners do not want to see a rollback of national monument protections and there is no mandate for oil and gas development. Voters from all political ideologies are united in support of public land conservation in the West,” Miller-Stevens said, as Inside Climate News reported.

Other areas of conservation also received overwhelming support, including a 78 percent majority in favor of more emphasis being placed on the preservation of wildlife migration routes, limiting more development in order to safeguard wildlife habitats and providing highway crossings for animals. This was in comparison with one-fifth of voters who said they wanted more emphasis to be placed on land use that was “economically productive,” like new development, oil and gas production, roads or ranching.

“By contrast, most voters see no conflict between clean energy production and preserving natural areas for wildlife habitat and the character of local communities. 75 percent of voters in the West agree we can increase clean energy production while preserving natural areas, while only 20 percent say we need to choose between production and preservation,” the press release said.

The Conservation in the West Poll showed that the outdoors, including public lands, are an important part of Western lifestyles. Sixty-two percent of respondents said that they had visited national public lands three-plus times over the past year, while just 12 percent said they had not spent time on public lands.

“Western voters also view connecting with nature as vital for their wellbeing. 93 percent say spending more time outdoors would help counter growing rates of anxiety, depression and mental health problems in young people, with 67 percent agreeing it would help a lot,” the press release said. “The deep connection between Westerners and the outdoors, along with the importance placed on protecting public lands, are reflected in strong support for a variety of conservation policies among Westerners.”

Light pollution was also important to voters, with 89 percent saying they supported managing public lands in a way that ensures there are more outdoor spaces that are free from light pollution “to better see the stars at night.”

When asked about policies that regulate the production of oil and gas on public lands, Westerners were overwhelmingly in support of conservation. Ninety percent said they were in favor of requiring that gas and oil companies foot the bill for land restoration and clean-up after drilling is completed, rather than requiring state and federal governments to do so.

“A lot of the actions that the Trump administration has taken or has proposed to take are pretty far out of step with what Westerners want to see in terms of our public lands,” said Rachael Hamby, Center for Western Priorities’ policy director, as reported by Inside Climate News. “If elected officials are straying too far from what their constituents want to see, they’re going to have to answer to their voters.”

The 2025 Conservation in the West Poll confirms what we already know—Westerners overwhelmingly support protecting public lands, clean water, and wildlife www.coloradocollege.edu/…/conserva…

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— Western Watersheds Project (@westernwatersheds.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM

The post Most Voters in Eight Western States Support Conservation Over Oil and Gas Drilling on Public Lands: Poll appeared first on EcoWatch.

Green Groups Sue Trump Over Proposed Oil and Gas Drilling in Protected Waters

Posted on by February 20, 2025

Conservation groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council, filed two separate lawsuits against the Trump administration on Wednesday.

Both complaints focus on the administration’s moves to open more of the nation’s waters to drilling for oil and gas.

“President Trump’s executive order would roll back millions of acres of ocean protection, jeopardizing our coastal economies and the people who rely on healthy, thriving oceans,” said Joseph Gordon, Oceana campaign director, in a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity. “Leaders in both political parties, thousands of businesses, and millions of Americans support permanently protecting our coasts from offshore drilling. We are confident the court will continue to uphold the bipartisan tradition of presidents safeguarding these coastlines and protecting the people who live and work among them.”

#BREAKING: We’re taking the Trump administration to court! Oceana, alongside other environmental groups, is challenging President Trump's attempts to revoke ocean protections & open up millions of acres to offshore drilling. More 👉 oceana.ly/3EMOhSt

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— Oceana (@oceana.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 12:08 PM

One group of plaintiffs is challenging a Trump executive order to repeal the protection of hundreds of millions of acres of United States coastal waters from oil and gas leasing executed by former President Joe Biden during his final days in office, a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity said.

The other group is requesting that the court reinstate a prior federal court ruling invalidating the first Trump administration’s attempt to undo offshore drilling protections implemented during the Obama administration.

We're suing the Trump administration over an illegal order to revoke offshore oil drilling protections from most U.S. coastlines. “A nearly identical effort by the first Trump administration to expand drilling was stopped by Earthjustice in federal court.”

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— Earthjustice (@earthjustice.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 5:07 PM

“We defeated Trump the first time he tried to roll back protections and sacrifice more of our waters to the oil industry. We’re bringing this abuse of the law to the courts again,” said Steve Mashuda, managing attorney for oceans at Earthjustice, in a press release from the nonprofit legal organization. “Trump is illegally trying to take away protections vital to coastal communities that rely on clean, healthy oceans for safe living conditions, thriving economies, and stable ecosystems.”

Biden invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to withdraw areas off the Atlantic, eastern Gulf, Pacific and Alaska from the possibility of oil and gas leasing. Eight other administrations, including Trump’s first, have done the same.

We filed our first lawsuit of the year against the Trump administration for revoking protections that cover more than 625 million acres of the ocean. When Trump tried to hand over our oceans to Big Oil in 2017, we sued—and won. We’re headed to court to fight back again.

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— NRDC (@nrdc.org) February 19, 2025 at 3:35 PM

The law does not, however, permit a president from revoking withdrawals by prior presidents. A federal court confirmed this before, when Trump tried to undo protections for parts of the Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean set by the Obama administration.

“Trump’s putting our oceans, marine wildlife, and coastal communities at risk of devastating oil spills and we need the courts to rein in his utter contempt for the law,” said Kristen Monsell, the Center for Biological Diversity’s oceans legal director. “Offshore oil drilling is destructive from start to finish. Opening up more public waters to the oil industry for short-term gain and political points is a reprehensible and irresponsible way to manage our precious ocean ecosystems.”

The lawsuits will likely be the first of many filed by environmental groups against the current administration, reported The Guardian. In his first month in office, Trump has frozen funds for climate-related spending programs while attempting to roll back many of Biden’s environmental protections.

“The Arctic Ocean has been protected from US drilling for nearly a decade, and those protections have been affirmed by the federal courts,” said Sierra Weaver, a senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits, as The Guardian reported. “Though these coastlines have been protected, the administration is showing no restraint in seeking to hand off some of our most fragile and pristine landscapes for the oil industry’s profit.”

The post Green Groups Sue Trump Over Proposed Oil and Gas Drilling in Protected Waters appeared first on EcoWatch.

Metal Pollution Reduction Linked to Increased Biodiversity in English Rivers, Study Finds

Posted on by February 20, 2025

It stands to reason that if you reduce the amount of pollution in an environment, the organisms there will thrive. Now, a study confirms that is happening in rivers in England. According to the research, reducing the amount of metal pollutants like zinc and copper in English rivers led to an increase in the aquatic biodiversity of macroinvertebrates.

As coal and heavy industry have declined, related river pollution also cleared up, allowing more invertebrates to thrive, the study published in Environmental Science & Technology found.

A team led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) analyzed over 65,000 observations 1,457 sites from 1989 to 2018 found in the UK Environmental Agency’s data.

In their findings, reduction in metal pollutants had the biggest impact on invertebrate biodiversity, although other pollution reduction, such as sewage, also impacted the variety of invertebrate species. According to the findings, zinc levels below 14 micrograms per liter and copper levels below 3.3 micrograms per liter led to the biggest improvements in species richness.

The authors estimated that metal pollutants and sewage may have declined for multiple reasons, including reduced coal dependence, which would lead to a decline in acid rain that contribute to metal pollution in waterways. Some of the ammonia, organic matter, and other pollutant declines could also be attributed to the 1991 European Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and improved agricultural practices, according to the study.

With strong evidence that zinc & copper concentrations have the biggest influence on invertebrate species richness, efforts to increase freshwater biodiversity are unlikely to bear fruit without further reductions in these metals, lead author Prof Andrew Johnson said 🔗 www.ceh.ac.uk/press/biodiv…

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— UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) (@ukceh.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:09 AM

“There is a widespread desire by the public to improve water quality and biodiversity in our rivers but the problem for policymakers is what steps would be most likely to achieve results,” Andrew Johnson, lead author of the study and environmental research scientist at UKCEH, said in a statement. “Our study provides strong evidence that concentrations of zinc and copper have the biggest influence on invertebrate species richness, so future attempts to increase freshwater biodiversity are unlikely to bear fruit without further reductions in these metals.”

The study determined that while river biodiversity improved in the 1980s and 1990s with reduced metal pollution, the species richness has mostly plateaued since 2000, and the authors cited other research that has shown similar trends across North America and Europe.

The authors wrote that more research is needed to determine what urban land cover pollutants most impact biodiversity of invertebrates, and that runoff from urban areas could still contribute to higher levels of zinc and carbon pollution that may not be detected in routine river sampling. Further, the study found that higher levels of metal pollution continue to exist downstream from former mines.

These factors will need to be considered for environmental protection efforts, as the UK’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has set a target to reduce the length of rivers impacted by metal pollutants from mines by half by 2038.

“The way priority chemicals are currently identified for action, ensuring aquatic wildlife may be better protected, could be described as ‘top-down,’” the authors concluded in the study.

“Here, we used a ‘bottom-up’ approach, relying on a statistical analysis of large wildlife and stressor field data sets (consistent monitoring by regulatory agencies being critical to this approach) to identify factors that are most closely associated with biodiversity. We suggest that this approach has considerable merit and at the very least can act as a sense check on the traditional approach.”

The post Metal Pollution Reduction Linked to Increased Biodiversity in English Rivers, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.

Brazil Joins OPEC+ Ahead of Hosting UN Climate Summit

Posted on by February 19, 2025

Brazil’s National Council for Energy Policy has approved the joining of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) just months before the country is set to host the United Nations COP30 climate change summit.

The approval was in response to a 2023 invitation from OPEC.

“OPEC welcomes the decision approved today by the National Energy Council of the Federative Republic of Brazil (CNPE) that formally paves the way for the participation of Brazil as a Member of the Charter of Cooperation (CoC) between oil producing countries,” a press release from OPEC said. “The decision comes after an initial announcement made by HE Hon. Alexandre Silveira, Minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil, at the 36th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM) on 30 November 2023.”

OPEC was initially established with 12 members in 1960 to stabilize oil markets and coordinate production. Since then, 10 other significant oil-producing countries have joined the organization.

Alexandre Silveira, Brazil’s mines and energy minister, said that Brazil, as a member of OPEC, will not have any binding obligations to the group, such as cuts to production, or participate in decision-making, as The Associated Press reported. The country’s participation will involve being a member of the Charter of Cooperation forum, where nations discuss industry-related issues.

“We should not be ashamed of being oil producers. Brazil needs to grow, develop and create income and jobs,” Silveira said.

Brazil will join OPEC+, [cartel] of oil-exporting nations, months before hosting UN climate summit #COP30 – 'We should not be ashamed of being oil producers,' said Brazilian energy minister HT @carbonbrief.org www.cbc.ca/news/busines…

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— Damian Carrington (@dpcarrington.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 5:31 AM

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has worked to battle Amazon deforestation and protect Indigenous rights, but has also said new oil revenues could be used to finance the country’s green energy transition.

Recently, Lula has pushed the nation’s environmental regulator to allow exploratory drilling close to the Amazon River delta, one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions.

Brazil is the seventh-largest producer of oil in the world, with roughly 4.3 million barrels per day — four percent of global output, according to the United States Energy Information Administration. Last year, crude oil became Brazil’s biggest export, surpassing soy.

The U.S. is the biggest producer of oil in the world, pumping out almost 22 million barrels a day. In comparison, Saudi Arabia — OPEC’s largest producer — produces approximately 11 million barrels.

Oil expert Luís Eduardo Duque Dutra, a chemistry professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said that Brazil’s energy council had also approved its membership in the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency.

“This helps keep track of the global situation, matching the country’s growing importance after developing pre-salt (offshore oil) reserves and its wind and solar energy potentials,” Dutra told The Associated Press.

Lula’s interest in increasing Brazil’s oil production has been met with criticism as the country prepares to host COP30 in November.

“Brazil’s entrance to any OPEC body is another sign of the government’s setback,” said Climate Observatory spokesperson Suely Araújo, as reported by The Associated Press.

Opening new areas to fossil fuel exploration “indicates that we are choosing solutions from the past in the face of a huge challenge for the present and the future,” Araújo added.

The post Brazil Joins OPEC+ Ahead of Hosting UN Climate Summit appeared first on EcoWatch.

Top U.S. Prosecutor Resigns After Trump-Appointed Official Orders Investigation Into Biden Climate Funding

Posted on by February 19, 2025

Denise Cheung, the top criminal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office in Washington, DC, resigned on Tuesday after she declined to follow an order from a Trump-appointed superior at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to start a grand jury investigation, people with knowledge of the matter said, as CNN reported.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove initially gave the instruction to Ed Martin — a Donald Trump nominee for U.S. Attorney in DC. — for Cheung to direct an investigation of a Biden EPA funding decision, then freeze the funding.

Cheung, a long-time employee of the Department of Justice, did not feel there was sufficient evidence to comply with the order and was asked to resign.

“Earlier yesterday, I was asked to review documentation supplied by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General to open a criminal investigation into whether a contract had been unlawfully awarded by an executive agency before the change in Administration and to issue grand jury subpoenas pursuant to this investigation,” Cheung wrote in her resignation letter on Tuesday, as seen by CNN.

As Cheung noted in the letter, she and other experienced prosecutors did not believe there was enough evidence to meet the threshold requirements to conduct a grand jury investigation. Bove insisted that the DOJ had met that threshold.

Top US prosecutor quits over pressure to investigate Biden climate spending: Denise Cheung resigns after Trump appointees demand she open grand jury investigation into EPA grants A top federal prosecutor has quit after refusing to launch what she called a politically driven investigation …

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— The Guardian Climate News (unofficial) (@guardian-climate.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 5:07 PM

In the resignation letter to Martin, Cheung wrote that she and other prosecutors believed there was insufficient evidence despite senior officials citing an undercover Project Veritas video, reported The Guardian.

“When I explained that the quantum of evidence did not support that action, you stated that you believed that there was sufficient evidence,” Cheung wrote to Martin. “You also accused me about wasting five hours of the day ‘doing nothing’ except trying to get what the FBI and I wanted, but not what you wanted.”

Cheung noted her obligation to follow the law and the code of legal ethics, as well as her sworn oath of office.

“When I started as an AUSA, I took an oath of office to support and defend the Constitution, and I have executed this duty faithfully during my tenure, which has spanned through numerous Administrations,” Cheung wrote in a farewell email to colleagues. “I know that all of the AUSAs in the office continue to honor their oaths on a daily basis, just as I know that you have always conducted yourself with the utmost integrity.”

The dispute originated from a claim by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin last week regarding $20 billion in EPA funding being held in an account at Citibank.

The funding at issue was earmarked for eight nonprofits in charge of climate change mitigation projects as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Zeldin has criticized what he called “rushed” funding for the climate organizations, saying he would attempt to claw back funding in conjunction with the DOJ and return it to the U.S. Treasury Department.

“We will review every penny that has gone out the door. I will be referring this matter to the inspector general’s office, and will work with the Justice Department as well,” Zeldin said, as The Hill reported.

A former official at the EPA who was responsible for implementation of the funding told CNN that it had not been rushed or set up in a nefarious manner.

The EPA and the U.S. Treasury had set up an arrangement with the bank to distribute the funding to the grantees, and while it was the first time that type of agreement was employed by the EPA, it is a process that the Treasury Department had been using for years.

Cheung’s departure comes during a period of upheaval across the DOJ, as prosecutors deemed untrustworthy by the Trump administration are dismissed and the president’s political appointees clash with long-time federal prosecutors.

In her departure email, Cheung encouraged colleagues to “fulfill your commitment to pursuing Justice without fear or prejudice,” as The Hill reported.

I'm leading my colleagues in writing to the DOJ Inspector General after Denise Cheung was forced to resign after defying her Trump-appointed superiors and refusing to freeze climate bank funding in the absence of any crime. You need your climate bank money and we need answers.

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— Senator Ed Markey (@markey.senate.gov) February 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM

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