Environment

Wind, thunderstorms expected around contained French wildfire

French firefighters were keeping a wary eye on a huge blaze that appeared to be contained in the country's southwest, with thunderstorms and strong wind gusts expected in the area overnight.. "We remain vigilant" because "while we can't see huge flames, the fire continues to consume vegetation and soil," Arnaud Mendousse, lieutenant colonel of Gironde fire and rescue, told AFP. Weather forecasters are expecting thunderstorms with wind gusts of up to 60 kilometres an hour in the region in the evening.

Sat, Aug 13, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

Volunteer firefighters key in France's fight against wildfires

Volunteer firefighters have been called up from their day jobs all over France this summer to help battle wildfires.. At the end of 2020, France counted 197,100 volunteer firefighters, according to official figures.

Sat, Aug 13, 2022 4 mins read

Environment

US astronaut Jessica Watkins sets sights on Moon... and Mars

If you had the choice, would you rather go to the Moon or Mars?. "I certainly would be just absolutely thrilled to be able to be a part of the effort to go to another planetary surface, whether it be the Moon or Mars."

Sat, Aug 13, 2022 4 mins read

Environment

'Dead fish everywhere' in Germany, Poland, after feared chemical waste dump

Thousands of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water.. "Probably enormous quantities of chemical waste was dumped into the river in full knowledge of the risk and consequences," added the Polish leader, as German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke urged a comprehensive probe into what she called a brewing "environmental disaster". 

Sat, Aug 13, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

What's in Biden's big climate and health bill?

Hundreds of billions of dollars for clean energy projects, cheaper prescription drugs and new corporate taxes are a few of the key items in US President Joe Biden's massive investment plan, which the House of Representatives is expected to pass Friday, after Senate approval.. - Minimum corporate tax of 15% - Alongside these huge investments, the so-called "Inflation Reduction Act" would seek to pare down the federal deficit through the adoption of a minimum corporate tax of 15 percent for all companies with profits exceeding one billion dollars.

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

US lawmakers set to pass major climate, health bill in big win for Biden

US lawmakers on Friday were expected to adopt President Joe Biden's sprawling climate, tax and health care plan -- a major win for the veteran Democrat that includes the biggest ever American investment in the battle against global warming.. The plan includes a $370 billion investment aimed at effecting a 40 percent drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 -- the largest ever commitment to fighting climate change by the world's biggest economy, and one of its worst polluters.

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

Drought declared in several parts of England

The UK government on Friday officially declared a drought across swathes of England, following months of record low rainfall and unprecedented high temperatures in recent weeks.. Drought was last officially declared in England in 2018.

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

Over 150 endangered vultures poisoned to death in southern Africa

At least 150 critically-endangered vultures were poisoned to death in separate incidents in Botswana and South Africa, conservationists said Friday, warning the killings pushed the birds closer to extinction.  . "Given the critical status of vultures globally, poisonings at this scale place the species at increasing risk of extinction," Yolan Friedmann, the head of the Endangered Wildlife Trust conservation group, said in a statement on the Kruger incident. 

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 1 mins read

Environment

'Complicated' day as fires rage in France

A huge fire that has devastated swathes of southwestern France was largely contained on Friday, but firefighters face another "complicated" day, local authorities said.. Temperatures of around 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) were expected in the fire zone on Friday, slightly lower than the day before.

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

2022 sets record fire activity in southwest Europe: EU

Blazes that have torched tens of thousands of hectares of forest in France, Spain and Portugal have made 2022 a record year for wildfire activity in southwestern Europe, the EU's satellite monitoring service said Friday. . Amid a prolonged heatwave that saw temperature records tumble, the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) said that France had in the last three months reached the highest levels of carbon pollution from wildfires since records began in 2003.

Fri, Aug 12, 2022 1 mins read