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Thursday 12 July
Last updated: 1700 BST
Latest news
Africa’s answer to climate change is taking root, quite literally. The project will see 50,000 acres of trees planted, creating a 4,000-mile, nine-foot wide wall of trees which will stretch from Senegal to Djibouti. The aim of the project is to stop encroaching desertification, and similar projects have already been undertaken in China.
Coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Great Barrier Reef could recover faster from major stresses than their Caribbean counterparts say marine scientists.
The European Commission say up to €1.5 billion could be available by the end of the year to fund renewable energy and carbon capture and storage projects across the EU coming from a programme that auctions EU carbon permits to market participants from the regional cap-and-trade scheme.
David Attenborough has warned that butterfly populations could crash as a result of the record-breaking wet weather being seen in the UK this spring and summer. This comes as the charity Butterfly Conservation launches its annual survey – amid concerns that the wet weather could have hit their breeding season.
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey has said he will embark on a new diplomatic push to encourage Poland to adopt the EU’s proposed 30% emissions target. Speaking at Chatham House Davey said the move would make economic sense.
Brazil’s oil regulator says it expects to release a report next week looking at the cause of the November oil spill in an offshore field operated by Chevron Corp. It is expected to provide the official government explanation of the accident that led to criminal charges and civil suits seeking nearly $20 billion in damages.
The droughts currently being experienced in the US – the worst in nearly 25 years – could drive food prices up around the world as the hot weather dries up corn fields. The rises in the price of corn could in turn be transferred to foods including hamburgers, steak and bread.
An expedition looking to document any debris from the Japan tsunami being pushed along by the current in the western half of the North Pacific has found a huge plume – including half a fishing boat – expected to wash up on the US Pacific coast in October.
Top Tweets
A couple of updates from the ResPublica event last night about community and cooperative energy…
#Energycoops @res_publica Becky Willis suggests community energy projects must throw off counter-cultural/cuddly image to be taken seriously
— Hannah Butt (@hannah_butt) July 11, 2012
Rebecca Willis 3.5 Gigawatts out there potentially for community energy to generate @res_publica #energycoops — Phillip Blond (@Phillip_Blond) July 11, 2012
#energycoops Gareth Thomas MP in USenergy coops have 12% of market 42 million members @Res_publica
— Phillip Blond (@Phillip_Blond) July 11, 2012
Stat of the day
Almost three-quarters of UK butterfly species have declined in number in the last 10 years. In last year’s Butterfly Survey, the UK public counted 320,000 butterflies – figures showing number were down 11% compared to the previous year.
Video of the day
Liberate Tate – a group protesting against the sponsorship of UK art galleries (specifically Tate) from oil companies – delivered a ‘gift’ to the Tate Modern last week…