Blue & Green Daily: Wednesday 17 December 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.

Greenland ice melt and sea level rise ‘greatly underestimated’

Climate change could affect half of South West rail lines

Prince Charles calls on finance and accountancy leaders to promote sustainability

Pacific Island college commits to fossil fuel divestment

Coal demand set to reach record 9bn tonnes by 2019

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17 December headlines

2014 warmest year in Europe since 1500s

Climate change is very likely to have helped make 2014 Europe’s warmest year since the 1500s, scientists have found. Researchers at Oxford University found global warming had increased the risk of such a record being set be at least a factor of 10. Financial Times.

David Cameron says people are ‘fed up’ with onshore wind farms

People are “fed up” with onshore wind farms being built, and “enough is enough”, David Cameron has said. The Conservatives say they would not subsidise new onshore turbines if they win the general election. BBC.

Bank stress tests: RBS and Lloyds struggle while Co-op fails in ‘doomsday’ scenario

Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland have barely managed to pass stress tests by the Bank of England examining their resilience in a doomsday scenario of plunging house prices and rising rates. Meanwhile, the Co-op Bank was the only one of eight lenders involved to slip up. Independent.

Cheaper oil could damage renewable energies, says Richard Branson

Saudi Arabia is encouraging the dramatic collapse of oil prices in order to damage the surging global clean energy industry, British entrepreneur Richard Branson has claimed. Guardian.

Denmark lays claim to riches of the Arctic

The battle for the Arctic is heating up after Denmark became the first country to lodge a formal claim to the North Pole and any energy reserves beneath it. The Times.

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Interesting picks

The renewable energy sector needs to commit to getting off subsidies – Guardian

Are oil prices now really too low for a sustainable industry – Biz  News

With $10bn banked, what next for the Green Climate Fund? – RTCC

Climate change will leave Christmas trees in hot water – New Scientist

Photo: Sanja gjenero via Freeimages