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HS2: Why low speed rail - or closure - is vastly preferable to high speed

B W Edginton

8th February, 2012

Transsiberian Railway Politicians, 'dynamic' business and the media (even if it denies it) all want high speed rail. But they are missing the point , says B W Edginton. After all, who wants to visit London, Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds? more...

The great badger and bovine TB cover-up: is it really a health risk?

Ed Hamer

30th January, 2011

Badger With controversial plans to allow farmers to cull badgers later this year, Ed Hamer asks whether Bovine TB is really a health problem for either cows or humans more...

UK needs scientific research into agroecology not GM

Patrick Mulvany

25th January, 2012

A GM tomato The greatest challenge facing agricultural scientists is how to work with farmers producing more ecological and healthier food - not GM, argues Patrick Mulvany, chair of the UK Food Group and advisor to Practical Action more...

Getting a good deal from the Green Deal

Hannah Kyrke-Smith

25th January, 2012

A green bulb The Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) have the potential to reduce emissions from the UK’s ageing housing stock, create warmer homes and new jobs, says Hannah Kyrke-Smith. But will there be enough uptake? more...

Risks and uncertainities accompany efforts to reduce Britain's carbon

Matthew Leach

20th January, 2012

Carbon dioxide emissions A low carbon Britain rests on the electrification of our energy supply. But new research by the University of Surrey has highlighted the challenges facing government, market and civil society-led pathways to reducing emissions more...

Beyond HS2: invest in existing rail and reduce rail fares to make travel greener

Richard Hebditch

11th January, 2012

train More investment in existing rail lines, joining up the high speed line to public transport and ensuring rail fares are sustainable and affordable are what the government should focus on argues Campaign for Better Transport more...

Can biodiversity be accommodated in today's urban environment?

Austin Brown

10th January, 2012

dancing in the moonlight A bold new initiative is designed to raise public awareness of the issue of biodiversity and the need to incorporate native species back within London more...

The communities taking renewable energy into their own hands

Ed Mayo

5th January, 2012

Installing solar panels A new report by Co-operatives UK and The Co-operative Group examines those investing time and money in installing solar panels, wind turbines or hydro-electric power for their local communities more...

Seal pups 'sliced open alive': horror of Canadian hunt prompts Russian skins ban

Robbie Marsland

23rd December, 2011

Seal Russia's decision to ban the import and exports of harp seal skins is a big step forward for the campaign against the Canadian seal hunt, says Robbie Marsland, Director of IFAW-UK more...

The National Trust awards recognising pioneering eco-campaigner Octavia Hill

Mike Collins

19th December, 2011

Octavia Hill National Trust Octavia Hill was a tireless advocate for saving land and green spaces in and around Victorian London. She was also a founder of the National Trust, which is launching an award to recognise modern day 'unsung environmental heroes' more...

Talk of a ‘new climate deal' at COP17 is a distraction from inaction

Murray Worthy

7th December, 2011

Jolly Pilgrim by Peter Baker Talk of a long-term climate deal to cut carbon emissions is allowing industrialised countries to delay taking action, says Murray Worthy from the World Development Movement more...

Food security has jumped up the agenda at Durban climate conference

Olivier De Schutter

7th December, 2011

The impact of climate change on food insecurity is creating growing interest in agro-ecological methods of farming at the COP17 climate negotiations in Durban, says UN advisor Olivier De Schutter more...

Obituary: Ecologist cartoonist Richard Willson

Peter Bunyard & Robert Prescott-Allen

30th November, 2011

Richard Willson Two founding members of the Ecologist pay tribute to a talented and thoughtful man whose wildly seditious cartoons in the magazine called into question accepted dogma on everything from economic growth to science more...

Conservation can only work by putting a value on forests

Ben Caldecott

29th November, 2011

Amazon forest REDD+ type projects to protect rainforests face many obstacles but we should not give up on market-based solutions, says Ben Caldecott from the investment bank Climate Change Capital more...

Is Chris Huhne's 'Green Deal' just a marketing strategy?

Sam Arie

25th november,2011

Sustainable refurbishment The 2011 Energy Act provides for a ‘Green Deal’ in which households will be encouraged to borrow money on easy terms to finance energy saving home improvements. But will it work? more...

Tsunami stalls Japan's Dall’s porpoise slaughter, but for how long?

Clare Perry

17th November, 2011

EIA The Japanese tsunami appears to have temporarily halted the annual Dall's porpoise hunt. Pity the Taiji dolphins haven't been spared too, says the Environmental Investigation Agency's Clare Perry more...

Risks of mobile phones to children are being 'downplayed'

Vicky Fobel, MobileWise

14th November, 2011

Child on a mobile phone Industry repeats the mantra 'children should be discouraged from using mobiles excessively' while doing nothing to ensure it happens, says Vicky Fobel from the campaign group MobileWise more...

Durban climate change conference: why we should stick with the UN talks

Craig Bennett

10th November, 2011

Carbon dioxide emissions Despite a growing consensus in favour of alternatives such as 'carbon clubs' and bilateral agreements, Friends of the Earth's Craig Bennett says the UN is our best hope for tackling climate change more...

Can Asia’s large mammals be saved from extinction?

A. Christy Williams

28th October, 2011

Javan Rhino The Javan rhino isn’t the only south east Asian mammal whose future looks bleak, says the WWF’s A. Christy Williams more...

How phosphorus shortages could increase global food prices

Hannah Hislop

28th October, 2011

Peak phosphorus Phosphorus is a crucial nutrient and a vital component of fertiliser, a mainstay of modern farming. But we could be heading for a major shortfall in supplies, argues Hannah Hislop, with some alarming consequences more...

Richard Heinberg

Is it time to change 20th century economic paradigms?

Richard Heinberg

5th February, 2009

Clueless_Economists_MAIN.jpg A hundred years ago, markets ruled: fortunes were made, workers abused, bubbles blown. The Austrian School of economists, led by Ludwig von Mises, said this was fine: despite temporary messiness, the market knows best.
more...

Goodbye to growth

Richard Heinberg

7th January, 2009

Goodbye_Growth_MAIN.jpg The contraction of the global economic system bodes nothing but good for global ecosystems. Growth is dead – long live sustainability more...

Jim Thomas

High-altitude windpower: pie-in-the-sky or sound science?

Jim Thomas

1st May 2009

Jim_Thomas Since we don’t have enough land for the renewable technologies we need let’s go stratospheric instead, with a high-altitude solution… more...

What technologies for solving environmental problems will we see in 2009?

Jim Thomas

23rd April, 2009

Big_Fix_MAIN.jpg Somebody somewhere has to have a cunning plan to fix our environmental problems and save the world – right? Jim Thomas sorts through the big tech ideas you’ll be reading about this year more...

Joss Garman

Miliband's leadership on climate is tested

Joss Garman

19th June 2009

Joss Garman The climate secretary has been lauded for his coal-fired proposals, but beyond the smokescreen it’s business as usual says Joss Garman more...

European elections - will Brussels go Green?

Joss Garman

3rd June, 2009

BallotBoxing_MAIN.jpg It probably isn’t too much of an exaggeration to suggest that most people are hard pushed to name a politician they really admire. In Britain, however, one name will come up time and again. more...

Molly Scott Cato

Forget the 'big society'; we just need a co-operative one

Molly Scott Cato

16th August, 2010

Molly Scott Cato Claims that we need a 'big society' to fix our 'broken' one are just Victorian throwbacks - we have the business tools to survive; we just need a co-operative attitude to go with them more...

We scare people off by talking about 'degrowth'

Molly Scott Cato

14th July, 2010

Molly Scott Cato The French have a much better word for it: 'decroissance'. Using ugly and frightening terms like 'degrowth' won't help pave the way for a new and exciting economics more...

Tom Hodgkinson

Tom Hodgkinson: spare a moment for the bang bang men of Chongquing...

29th October, 2010

Tom Hodgkinson Although the rise of mega-cities raises disturbing questions about living standards and livelihoods, the spread of city living is not all bad, says Tom Hodgkinson more...

Starting a business has never been so liberating...

Tom Hodgkinson

25 August 2010

Tom Hodgkinson Find the hidden entrepreneur in you to free yourself from slavery to corporate and state authority, says Tom Hodgkinson more...

Other Comments

HS2: Why low speed rail - or closure - is vastly preferable to high speed

B W Edginton

8th February, 2012

Transsiberian Railway Politicians, 'dynamic' business and the media (even if it denies it) all want high speed rail. But they are missing the point , says B W Edginton. After all, who wants to visit London, Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds? more...

The great badger and bovine TB cover-up: is it really a health risk?

Ed Hamer

30th January, 2011

Badger With controversial plans to allow farmers to cull badgers later this year, Ed Hamer asks whether Bovine TB is really a health problem for either cows or humans more...

Dan Box

When will Australia 'get' climate change? And will it be too late?

Dan Box

19th July, 2010

Dan Box The upcoming Australian elections will see yet another tussle between industry-supporting climate sceptics, and politicians trying to nudge their electorate towards the real world more...

Will putting a price on nature put environmentalists out of a job?

Dan Box

5th July, 2010

Dan Box The launch of the massive economic ecosystem assessment, TEEB, will help force the natural world onto the corporate balance sheet. It's a step forward. But how will protesters react to the ground shifting under their feet? more...

Bibi van der Zee

Bibi van der Zee: Government 'no more in touch with the countryside than Labour'

Bibi van der Zee

10th March, 2011

Continuing her exclusive series - Coalition Green Watch - Bibi van der Zee further assesses David Cameron's pledge to head the 'greenest government in history' and, whilst the jury may still be out, finds alarming cause for concern... more...

Climate Week is trying to galvanise the green movement – but it is splitting it

Bibi van der Zee

3rd March, 2011

Climate Week The backing of Cameron, Clegg and Kofi Annan isn't enough, say Climate Week's critics, it is blinkered – and RBS-sponsored. Bibi van der Zee reports more...

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