Blue & Green Daily: Monday 28 July 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.

Disobedient Objects: protest art occupies the V&A museum

Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Bank of Nova Scotia accused of fixing the price of silver

Climate change may slowdown crop yield, study finds

Beijing to stop polluting industries from further expanding in the city

Community managed forests help tackle climate change

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28 July headlines

UK shale licences attacked as ‘reckless race’

Energy companies will be invited on Monday to bid for a new round of fracking licences covering more than half the country, but ministers insist that tougher planning rules will put national parks out of bounds unless “exceptional circumstances” prevail. The opening of the first tender process in six years will open up swaths of the countryside to the controversial practice of gas extraction. Financial Times.

Bee research tainted by corporate funding, MPs say

Critical future research on the plight of bees risks being tainted by corporate funding, according to a report from MPs published on Monday. Pollinators play a vital role in fertilising three-quarters of all food crops but have declined due to loss of habitat, disease and pesticide use. New scientific research forms a key part of the government’s plan to boost pollinators but will be funded by pesticide manufacturers. Guardian.

Africa ‘missing out on biotech green revolution’

Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural sector needs to harvest the fruits of biotechnology in order to establish sustainable development, says a report. A key challenge is to attract funding for biotechnology projects on staple crops, such as cassava, it added. Commercial funders often ignore these crops because they have a limited market, it suggested. BBC.

Water scarcity and rising energy costs threaten mining industry

Access to water has become one of the most significant business risks for miners, says a report that also highlights the threat to the sector from rising energy costs in some resource-rich areas. Consultancy EY said affordable water and energy should now be viewed as one of the ten biggest problems for miners. Financial Times.

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Interesting picks

The energy-efficient way to punish Putin – and protect the planet – Guardian

The challenges of ethical investment – Intelligent investor

Pacific summit to urge action on climate change – Yahoo News

Britain’s increasing taste for white meat is a disaster for animals and for us – Guardian

Photo: Sanja gjenero via Freeimages