Blue & Green Daily: Tuesday 5 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.

Everybody’s 10% is more influential than a few with 100%

Is it right to invest in an FFFF (Fossil Fuel Free Fund)?

Green Party councillor urges University of Oxford to divest from Russian gas supplier

Subsidy loophole to be closed for dirty fossil fuels

Ed Davey faces judicial review over alleged illegal solar policy U-turn

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5 August headlines

Shell and Nigeria have failed on oil pollution clean-up, Amnesty says

Little action has been taken to clean up pollution caused by oil production in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, either by the government or Shell Oil, Amnesty International and other groups have said. Oil production has contaminated the drinking water of at least ten communities, but neither the government or Shell has taken effective measures to restore the fouled environment, a report from campaign groups argues. Guardian.

Shale drilling outpaces research on its impact: study

Scientific understanding of the effects of hydraulic fracturing and other methods of extracting natural gas from shale rock has not kept pace with the rapid expansion of the industry in North America, leading researchers with a limited grasp on what drilling could be doing to wildlife and plants, says a study. Bloomberg.

Climate ‘key driver’ in European forest disturbances

Europe’s forests have experienced increased disturbances throughout the 20th century from wind, bark beetles and wildfire, a study has shown. A team of European based scientist identified climatic changes as a “key driver behind this increase”. However, they added, how the expected continuation of climate change would affect Europe’s forests in the future remained unresolved. BBC.

HSBC attacks regulators over ‘fragmented reforms and unprecedented demands’ on bankers

HSBC chairman Douglas Flint has slashed out at international watchdogs from “fragmented” reforms that are imposing “unprecedented” demands on its bankers as pre-tax profits for the first half of the year fell 12%. Flint warned the forthcoming probe into current accounts and small business banking could lead to more “structural” changes to the industry that would require further work and resources. Independent.

Preparing for climate disasters to get $100 million fund

The US Agency for International Development and the Rockefeller Foundation are starting a $100 million project to prepare vulnerable communities for climate-caused humanitarian disaster before they happen. The initiative, which will start in Africa’s Sahel region, is aimed at the droughts, typhoons and wildfires that devastate vulnerable communities around the world. Bloomberg.

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Interesting picks

Shale gas: ‘The dotcom bubble of our time’ – Telegraph

Obama: not a single CEO I talk to denies climate change, even those in the fossil fuel industry – Business Insider

Want to have a real impact on climate change? Then become a vegetarian – Guardian

Photo: Sanja gjenero via Freeimages