Environmental News | The Irish Times

Why is there frogspawn in my garden already? Readers’ nature queries

Ethna Viney on starling murmurations, early-bird hedgehogs and cobalt crust fungus

Bees spend their entire lives feeding on nectar and pollen while helping to fertilise plants. In Ireland there are 100 species of bee; 50% are in decline, a third are threatened with extinction, Photograph: Getty Images

Species decline doesn’t just happen elsewhere. It’s a serious Irish problem

When was the last time you had to clean your windscreen during the summer months?

Most pollination in Ireland is carried out by bees as they feed their young exclusively on pollen

Pollinator friendly: Six ways you can help bees and butterflies thrive

Here’s how to make your garden a haven for hungry pollinators

Ecologist Dr Tomás Murray, when asked if the threat of ‘catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems’ was being detected in Ireland, said: ‘Sadly yes, across the 120 sites in our butterfly monitoring scheme our recorders have detected an average annual decline of 2.6 per cent over the past 10 years.’

Irish butterfly monitoring scheme detects decline above global average

Almost 20% of insects are in decline and 13% are threatened while 7% have conservation status

Friends of the Irish Environment director Tony Lowes (front) and colleagues pictured on Friday morning. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Developers of Shannon gas processing terminal ordered not to begin construction

Case brought by Friends of Irish Environment referred to Europe by High Court judge

The report also finds that the build-to-rent sector tends to supply apartments to the premium end of the market “unsuitable for people on average incomes”. Photograph: iStock

Potential price-setting power of institutional landlords flagged

Department of Finance report warns about dangers of concentrations of ownership

A senior planning inspector said the provision of student accommodation accorded with the council’s policies and national policies. Photograph: Getty Images

Almost 300 more student beds for Grangegorman

Seven-storey development granted despite concerns of ‘over-concentration’ of students

James Gill and Ian Delacey of Dublin City Council Parks and Gardens Department working in Merrion Square this week.Photograph: Alan Betson

Spell of warm weather to continue into the weekend

This time last year country shivered ahead of big freeze

Irish Water managing director Eamon Gallen: ‘We want to avoid people paying these charges not to enforce them.’

Raw sewage from 86,000 people flows into Irish waterways daily – EPA

Environment agency criticises failure to tackle health threat problem quickly enough

A report by Cambridge Econometrics and Eurofound’s European Jobs Monitor concludes implementing the Paris Climate Change agreement will result in 1.1 per cent growth in GDP and 0.5 per cent growth in employment. Photograph: iStock

Implementing climate change agreement would boost jobs, EU report finds

Paris Agreement on climate change would also boost economic growth in the EU

Irish Cosmetics, Detergents and Allied Products Association director Siobhán Dean said use of synthetic, solid plastic particles in exfoliating and cleansing products that were non-biodegradable would be phased out by 2020. Photograph: Getty Images

Microbeads pervasive in Irish freshwater and marine areas, new research confirms

Minute plastics found in all samples and invertebrate species in River Slaney catchment

This week will be milder than normal for this stage in February, with temperatures of up to 14 degrees Photograph: The Irish Times

This week’s weather will be mild and windy with showers

Met Éireann says Ireland is set for mild few days with temperatures rising to 14 degrees

Paul Reid, chief executive of Fingal County Council Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times

Northside metro must not be held back by southside problems – Fingal chief

Paul Reid calls for Metrolink to Swords to go ahead independent of southern section

The number of days with heavy rainfall and the number of extreme flooding events has risen in the past decade. Photograph: Eric Luke Staff

Four Dublin councils unveil plans to fight climate change

Plans focus on energy, buildings, transport, flood resilience and resource management

Insects ranging from butterflies and bees to dung beetles were among the most affected. Photograph: iStock

Insect extinction threatens ‘catastrophic collapse’ of ecosystems

Human activity could see 40% of insect species wiped out in decades, study finds

Carlow businessman Declan Doyle owns the existing Doyle’s pub as well as Bowe’s, a former Ladbrokes betting shop and the Dublin Yeast Company. File photograph: Dara Mac Donaill

Merger of Bowe's pub with other historic Dublin site ‘must be refused’

An Taisce objects to proposal for Irish Yeast Co site and one of city’s last Victorian pubs

Architects’ impression of a pedestrianised Lower Liffey Street. Image: dhb Architects

New plaza proposed for north side of Ha'penny Bridge

Pedestrianisation of Liffey Street Lower will block traffic from Abbey Street

Pure Project collected 13 tonnes of dumped waste from the Wicklow and Dublin mountains after Christmas

‘Environmental vandalism’: The households who fly-tip

More than 80,000 people illegally get rid of their rubbish, often burning or dumping it

Golden eagle

What’s this bird I spotted from a distance? Readers’ nature queries

False widow spiders, snakelocks amemone, navelwort, muscovy ducks and redpolls

A gilets jaunes protest in Paris. Photograph: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

Carbon tax: committee keen to ‘avoid what happened in France’

Oireachtas committee wary of gilets jaunes-style public backlash

A man takes photo at Lahinch during storm. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Storm Erik: Orange alert as damaging gusts, coastal flooding forecast

Met Éireann issues warning with winds of 130km/h expected in the West on Friday

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Renewable Ireland

Outdoors

Poisoned and preyless: obstacles to rewilding Ireland with eagles

Poisoned and preyless: obstacles to rewilding Ireland with eagles

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Restoring the golden eagle to the west has found the limits to bringing back a carnivore

Why is there frogspawn in my garden already? Readers’ nature queries

Ethna Viney on starling murmurations, early-bird hedgehogs and cobalt crust fungus

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