Blue & Green Daily: Monday 11 August headlines

Blue & Green Daily finds and summarises the top sustainability stories around the web every morning. We start with our own picks from Blue & Green Tomorrow.

The story of unburnable carbon

Air traffic growth set to undermine carbon reduction measures – study

The ethics of elephants in tourism, global guide released

Mercury pollution in upper ocean has tripled since Industrial revolution

Waste cigarette butts could create clean energy storage solution

——————————————————————————————————————————————

11 August headlines

Fracking campaigners criticise ‘censored’ report on house prices

The government has been criticised for censoring a report into the impact of shale gas drilling that examines the effect on house prices and pressure on local services. Campaigners are calling for full publication of the study carried out by Whitehall officials, as the government continues to resist the idea of offering compensation to individual householders near proposed fracking sites. Guardian.

Oil and gas company debt soars to danger levels to cover shortfall in cash

The world’s leading oil and gas company are taking on dent and selling assets on an unprecedented scales to cover a shortfall in cash, calling into questions the long-term viability of large parts of the industry. The US Energy Information Administration said a review of 127 companies across the globe found that they has increased net debt by $106 billion in the year to March. Telegraph.

Scottish independence: government reveals green plan

The Scottish government has published a report which, it said, highlights the environmental benefits of independence. The paper stresses the SNP’s commitment to ensure environmental protection is at the heart of a written constitution. Environmental campaigners have welcomed the move but Scottish Labour said the document contained nothing new and that the Scottish government already has the powers it needs to protect the environment. BBC.

California drought transforms global food market

Driven by a three-year drought in California, which scientists say is a glimpse of a drier future, crop switching is taking place across the state, the US’s biggest agricultural state by value. The result will affect everything from the price of milk in China to the source of cherries eaten by Americans. The drought has already inflamed competition for water between farmers and homeowners. Bloomberg.

Labour: Tory failure to invest in flood defences puts thousands at risk

Conservative failures to invest in flood defences will out an extra 330,000 properties at serious risk by 2035, Labour will claim on Tuesday. The Tories counter that they have actually cut the predicted number of homes at risk since Labour was in power. Both major political parties recognise that the issue is key in a number of battleground marginal seats, and that the risk of flooding is rising. Telegraph.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Interesting picks

Why creative industries won’t follow PR lead on climate change – Guardian

Surprise! Keystone XL will make climate change worse – New Scientist

Why you should ditch the tumble dryer and use the washing line – Guardian

Photo: Sanja gjenero via Freeimages