Environmental News | The Irish Times

Dublin City Liffey Swim was threatened in 2019 by poor quality of water in river Liffey. Photograph: Alan Betson

Just 20 of State’s rivers have ‘pristine’ status, down from 500 in 1980s

EPA report says water quality in rivers and lakes ‘of very significant concern’

CPL Fuels has been pushing for the introduction of a long-delayed nationwide smoky coal ban by the Government

Smoky coal labelled as smokeless to get around ban, says CPL

Fuel samples bought in areas covered by ban found to have three times sulphur limit

An average of 250 new drones were registered with the Irish Aviation Authority every month since June. Photograph: Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty

Military and Garda ill-prepared for drone threat, says report

Survey of Air Corps pilots shows only 40% feel well informed on Irish drone regulations

“We need to address the sources and the pathways by which these nutrients make their way into our rivers and lakes. Good water quality is essential for out health and well-being”

Declining health of State’s rivers a matter of ‘very serious concern’

Water quality report lists the worst of the Republic’s rivers, lakes and estuaries

Stop Climate Chaos said ‘2020 marks the beginning of a decade in which global emissions must reduce by 55%’. File photograph: Getty

Irish climate activist groups urge increase in EU 2030 target

Ireland must support ‘higher 2030 ambitions’ in attempt to avert looming chaos

Former president of Ireland Mary Robinson at the UN climate change conference COP25 in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images

New declaration could recognise legal right of children to healthy environment

Mary Robinson tells COP25 that young people are ahead of rest of the world in how to address the climate issue

Sweden’s Greta Thunberg (centre) with representatives of indigenous people at the COP25 climate conference in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

Thunberg takes climate stance in solidarity with young indigenous people

Native American says the ‘system continues to value corporate profit over indigenous lives’

Storm Atiyah tracks from Iceland to Ireland on Sunday morning. Photograph: Earth.nullschool.net.

Storm Atiyah makes landfall on west coast: ‘Extreme caution’ advised

Fishing vessels take shelter in anticipation of strong winds and waves of more than 14m

Flags over the door of the Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times

Dublin private members club refused planning for flagpoles

Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club sought retention of three flags on Georgian premises

Animal rights demonstrators on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid. Photograph: Christina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images.

Oxygen in world’s oceans depleting at unprecedented rate

Climate talks hear ‘humanity is knowingly destroying the planetary support system’

A bit lost?

Bring back my bunny to me: Readers’ nature queries

Ethna Viney on hoof fungus, leucistic greenfinch and a tiger cowrie shell

Protesters walk past Madrid’s city hall on Cibeles Square during a mass-march demanding urgent action on the climate crisis from world leaders attending the COP25 summit in the city. Photograph: Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images.

COP25: Evidence of climate change not being met with urgency from wealthy nations

Madrid meeting has heard reports of rising emissions and record temperatures

A measure under consideration is a free energy-efficiency upgrade for landlords who participate in the Housing Assistance Payment scheme.

Landlords of energy-inefficient homes may have to pay heating bills

Rental sector proposals include minimum BER levels and tenant compensation for cold

Workers install solar panels on a roof. Areas with newer builds have a higher proportion of A-rated homes. Photograph: courtesy of Construct Ireland

How green are the homes in your county? Only one in 20 houses has top energy rating

Just 5% of BER-assessed homes in the State have A-rating, most of them in Dublin

A view of the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dublin. File photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times

Dublin Bay still at risk from wastewater overflow following pump failures

Irish Water says two pumps at Ringsend water treatment plant remain out of action

Carbon emissions are growing at slower rate based on 2019 figures but strong demand for oil and gas means the world is far from achieving drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions needed to avert catastrophic global warming, according to the latest Global Carbon Project (GCP) data. Photograph: Sascha Steinbach/EPA

Emissions growing at slower rate but reductions vital, report says

World still far from achieving cuts needed to avoid disaster, climate change study says

One of the busiest streets in Copenhagen, where 75 per cent of all trips are on foot, by bike or public transport. Photograph: Betina Garcia/New York Times

Can Copenhagen become the world's first carbon-neutral capital?

The Danish capital has 375km of cycle lanes, extensive metro and wind-powered electricity

Any thoughts of securing special concessions under agriculture – Ireland is unique in exporting 90 per cent of produce, and has relatively good carbon efficiency in beef and dairying – depend on upping our overall game, reinforced by the credible plans of Irish governments, EEA executive director Hans Bruyninckx said. File photograph: Getty

Ireland needs to follow clear pathway to reach low-carbon goals

Report on Europe’s environment shows that Ireland performs poorly on emissions

The European Environment Agency has warned the increasing impacts of climate disruption, such as flooding, means Europe faces 'unprecedented' environmental challenges. Photograph: Janez Zalazni/EEA

Europe is at an environmental tipping point, says report

EU agency predicts Europe will not achieve its 2030 environmental goals

Damp and rainy weather in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on November 22nd last. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

Dublin had wettest November for 17 years last month

Met Éireann summary says it was both colder and wetter than normal across Ireland

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg arrives aboard the yacht La Vagabonde at Santo Amaro port in Lisbon, Portugal. Photograph: Rafael Marchante/Reuters

Greta Thunberg arrives in Lisbon by yacht from US

Campaigning Swedish teenager set to attend UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid

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