The Best of Guardian Environment
20+ most popular Guardian Environment articles, as voted by our community.
News and comment on the world's most important environmental stories
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Earth ‘well outside safe operating space for humanity’, scientists find
First complete ‘scientific health check’ shows most global systems beyond stable range in which modern civilisation emerged
Guardian Environment on Biology
Food for thought? French bean plants show signs of intent, say scientists
Many botanists dispute idea of plant sentience, but study of climbing beans sows seed of doubt
Guardian Environment on Climate Crisis
The climate disaster is here
Earth is already becoming unlivable. Will governments act to stop this disaster from getting worse?
«At 1.5C, about 14% of the world’s population will be hit by severe heatwaves once every five years. with this number jumping to more than a third of the global population at 2C.»
Revealed: the ‘carbon bombs’ set to trigger catastrophic climate breakdown
Exclusive: Oil and gas majors are planning scores of vast projects that threaten to shatter the 1.5C climate goal. If governments do not act, these firms will continue to cash in as the world burns
Guardian Environment on Environment
Revealed: the 20 firms behind a third of all carbon emissions
New data shows how fossil fuel companies have driven climate crisis despite industry knowing dangers
Why you should go animal-free: 18 arguments for eating meat debunked
Unpalatable as it may be for those wedded to producing and eating meat, the environmental and health evidence for a plant-based diet is clear
Guardian Environment on Food
Loss of bees causes shortage of key food crops, study finds
Apple and cherry production hampered by lack of wild bees, who are suffering from a loss of habitat, toxic pesticides and the climate crisis
Factory farms of disease: how industrial chicken production is breeding the next pandemic
At least eight types of bird flu, all of which can kill humans, are circulating around the world’s factory farms – and they could be worse than Covid-19
«At least eight types of bird flu, all of which can kill humans, are circulating around the world’s factory farms – and they could be worse than Covid-19»
Guardian Environment on Greta Thunberg
Why the Guardian is changing the language it uses about the environment
From now, house style guide recommends terms such as ‘climate crisis’ and ‘global heating’
Greta Thunberg: ‘We are ignoring natural climate solutions’
Film by Swedish activist and Guardian journalist George Monbiot says nature must be used to repair broken climate
Guardian Environment on Nature
50 simple ways to make your life greener
Expert tips on how to be kinder to the planet – from cooking and cleaning to fashion and finance
No-kill, lab-grown meat to go on sale for first time
Singapore’s approval of chicken cells grown in bioreactors is seen as landmark moment across industry
Guardian Environment on Oceans
Oceans can be restored to former glory within 30 years, say scientists
Major review reports recovery of marine life but a redoubling of efforts is still needed
Ocean temperatures hit record high as rate of heating accelerates
Oceans are clearest measure of climate crisis as they absorb 90% of heat trapped by greenhouse gases
Guardian Environment on Pollution
Scientists accidentally create mutant enzyme that eats plastic bottles
The breakthrough, spurred by the discovery of plastic-eating bugs at a Japanese dump, could help solve the global plastic pollution crisis
An ocean of noise: how sonic pollution is hurting marine life
The long read: Today’s oceans are a tumult of engine roar, artificial sonar and seismic blasts that make it impossible for marine creatures to hunt or communicate. We could make it stop, so why don’t…
«But volume of traffic needs to be reduced: quieter ships might lead to more ship collisions if whales cannot hear approaching danger.»
Guardian Environment on Recycling
'Plastic recycling is a myth': what really happens to your rubbish?
You sort your recycling, leave it to be collected – and then what? From councils burning the lot to foreign landfill sites overflowing with British rubbish, Oliver Franklin-Wallis reports on a global…
Use compostable plastic – and the 16 other essential rules of effective recycling
Do you have to wash your tins before recycling them? Are glass milk bottles better than plastic? Do you need to use a bag for life, for life? All your questions about staying eco without it becoming a…
Guardian Environment on Science
The hole truth: scientists solve mystery of ‘pogo-stick’ seabed tunnels
When scientists discovered holes poked into the floor of the Bering Sea, they were baffled. Now they think they have found the culprit
Wax worm saliva rapidly breaks down plastic bags, scientists discover
Its enzymes degrade polyethylene within hours at room temperature and could ‘revolutionise’ recycling
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The forgotten oil ads that told us climate change was nothing
Since the 1980s, fossil fuel firms have run ads touting climate denial messages – many of which they’d now like us to forget. Here’s our visual guide
«Why is meaningful action to avert the climate crisis proving so difficult? It is, at least in part, because of ads.»
Slow water: can we tame urban floods by going with the flow?
The long read: As we face increased flooding, China’s sponge cities are taking a new course. But can they steer the country away from concrete megadams?
Six promises you can make to help reduce carbon emissions
From using smartphones for longer to ending car ownership, research shows ‘less stuff and more joy’ is the way forward
Putin’s war shows autocracies and fossil fuels go hand in hand. Here’s how to tackle both
Democracies are making more progress than autocracies when it comes to climate action. But divestment campaigns can put pressure on the most recalcitrant of political leaders
Discovered in the deep: the incredible fish with a transparent head
The rare barreleye fish tracks its prey with extremely light-sensitive rotating eyes encased in a see-through canopy
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