Campaigners suspect block on new applications for at least two years was imposed to limit burden on water firmsThe government has suspended all applications for bathing water status in waterways, delaying the cleanup of rivers and coastal waters for at least two years.River campaigners fear the block on new applications to create bathing water areas,...

Reform UK’s leader has made some eye-opening statements on the climate, and his party’s manifesto is packed with even more falsehoodsDespite 40C record heat in 2022 and the wettest 18 months on record this winter, this general election seems set to test the UK’s political consensus on climate change like never before.Reform UK, the rightwing party that...

Stromness, Orkney: Short-eared owls are a such a compelling sight as they hunt in the light. They cruise the rugged heathland, then suddenly disappearIt’s been a week of clear skies and luminous evenings – a stretch of calm, still weather that has been felt as a physical release, even an act of mercy, after a seemingly unending winter. Finally, now,...

Critics claim the technology is best suited to newbuilds – but studies reveal success with retrofits and in poorly insulated homes• Do heat pumps work at freezing temperatures? • Are heat pumps more expensive to run than gas boilers?The belief that heat pumps will work only in newbuild homes is still widely held.The number of heat pumps installed every...

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Negative scientific and press reports on the efficacy of carbon credit projects has led to a ‘direct pullback in buyer investment’The market for carbon offsets shrank dramatically last year, falling from $1.9bn (£1.5bn) in 2022 to $723m in 2023, a new report has found. The drop came after a series of scientific and media reports found many offsetting...