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Scottish whisky makers fear return of Trump tariffs

At the end of a wild peninsula battered by winds in west Scotland is a zero-carbon whisky distillery that's bracing for the possible return of US tariffs.

Nepal hikes Everest climbing fee by a third

Nepal has hiked the cost of an Everest climbing permit by a third, arguing it will help tackle pollution and boost safety on the world's highest mountain, the tourism chief said Tuesday.

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No offshore wind in latest UK green energy auction

No offshore wind power projects received public funding in the latest round of support for British green electricity projects, which jeopardises plans to decarbonise the power sector by 2035, environmental groups warned Friday.

Japan's Mount Fuji 'screaming' from too many tourists

With its millions of visitors every year and the buses, supply trucks, noodle shops and fridge magnets, Japan's Mount Fuji is no longer the peaceful pilgrimage site it once was.

From the rear end of a pheasant, Brazil's best coffee

In Brazil, the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg is in reality something closer to a pheasant that excretes coffee beans.

Africa climate demands zero in on finance, debt and taxes

Renewables funding, global finance reform and carbon taxes head the demands formulated by African nations at a summit in Nairobi this week as the world heads towards annual climate negotiations.

At least 36 dead in Brazil cyclone, many still stranded

The death toll from a cyclone that unleashed torrential rain and flooding on southern Brazil rose to at least 36 Wednesday, authorities said, as the region braced for more violent weather.

Pace of increase in CO2 concentration has increased three-fold: report

The pace at which the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing -- due mostly to the burning of fossil fuels -- has jumped three-fold in five decades, an international report said Wednesday.

Storms kill 12 in Mediterranean, east Europe

Storms have killed at least 12 people in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, with a Greek region hit by more rain in 24 hours than it normally sees in a year, officials said Wednesday.

Olympic chief Bach 'confident' for Seine swimming at 2024 Games

Olympic chief Thomas Bach said Wednesday he was "confident" and "optimistic" swimming events in Paris's Seine River will go ahead at the 2024 Games despite recent cancellations due to pollution.

Africa demands global finance reforms to unleash its green growth

African leaders on Wednesday demanded sweeping changes to the global financial system and urged the international community to back a surge in renewable energy as they wrapped up a landmark climate summit in Kenya.

Rains kill 11 in Mediterranean, east Europe

Storms that unleashed torrential flooding in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria have killed at least 11 people, authorities said Wednesday, as extreme heat gave way to heavy rain.

2023 likely to be hottest year on record

2023 is likely to be the hottest year in human history, and global temperatures during the Northern Hemisphere summer were the warmest on record, the EU climate monitor said on Wednesday.

Indonesia halves output at coal power plant as pollution spikes

Indonesia has nearly halved output at a major coal-fired power plant near the capital Jakarta after the city faced major pollution spikes in recent weeks, its operator told AFP Wednesday.

African leaders seek united front to press green growth goals

Landmark African climate talks are set to wrap up Wednesday with leaders seeking a united voice to highlight the continent's green growth potential provided the world steps up help for funding and debt.

Six bn tonnes of sand extracted from world's oceans each year: UN

Some six billion tonnes of sand and other sediment is extracted from the world's seas and oceans every year, the UN said Tuesday, warning of the devastating toll on biodiversity and coastal communities.

Calls for reform of global finance system dominate Africa climate talks

UN chief Antonio Guterres joined African leaders on Tuesday in demanding urgent reforms to the "outdated and unfair" global financial system, speaking at a landmark climate summit in Kenya aimed at showcasing the continent's green potential.

G20 per capita coal emissions growing: research

G20 per capita coal emissions continue to rise despite climate pledges and transition efforts by some members of the group of major economies, new research showed Tuesday.

African leaders to push for finance at climate summit

African leaders and global policymakers gather on Tuesday in Kenya for a climate summit aimed at showcasing the continent as a destination for investment in efforts to combat global warming.

S.African rhino farm, world's largest, bought by NGO

The largest rhino farm in the world, which is home to 2,000 animals and located in South Africa, has been bought by the NGO African Parks, the organisation said Monday.

S.African rhino farm, world's largest, bought by NGO: statement

The largest rhino farm in the world, which is home to 2,000 animals and located in South Africa, has been bought by the NGO African Parks, the organisation said Monday.

Invasive species problem will be 'worse before it gets better'

On land and in the sea, invasive species are destroying ecosystems, spreading disease and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage every year, according to a landmark report Monday from the UN-backed science advisory panel for the UN Convention on Biodiversity.

EU chief warns wolf packs 'real danger' in Europe

Brussels launched a review Monday of laws protecting wolves from hunters and farmers, as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen argued that packs threaten livestock and perhaps even people.

Belgium struggles with spread of 'invasive' raccoons

Belgian forest ranger Thierry Petit can barely keep pace with call outs to deal with raccoons, a North American species branded an invasive threat to Europe's indigenous wildlife.

Global tensions risk clean energy progress: IEA chief

The head of the International Energy Agency on Monday urged the United States and China to align on key issues at the COP28 climate summit later this year, warning that "geopolitical fractures" risk holding back the switch to clean energy.

Tesla, Chinese EV brands jostle for limelight at German fair

One of the world's biggest auto shows opened in Munich on Monday, with Tesla ending a 10-year absence to jostle for the spotlight with Chinese rivals as the race for electric dominance heats up.

Can Africa grasp its green-powered potential?

No continent has been hit harder by climate change than Africa, and yet none has more potential for a future centred on green energy, a top expert has told AFP in an interview.

Helping or hindering? US scientists debate how to save giant sequoias

When ferocious wildfires tore through California's prized giant sequoia forests, they killed towering trees that have lived there for thousands of years -- and perhaps changed the nature of the groves forever.

Cute but calamitous: Australia labours under rabbit numbers

With their outsized ears and fluffy fur, rabbits are often seen as cute and harmless. Yet the creature is behind one of the globe's most harmful biological invasions, ravaging Australia, whose efforts to limit the problem have tended only to make things worse.

Minnows blamed for algae-filled French, Spanish lakes

Perched 1,800 metres (about 6,000 feet) near France's border with Spain lies the emerald Areau lake -- whose colour experts blame on minnows used by anglers as live bait.

Heat records topple across sweltering Asia

Temperature records are being toppled across Asia, from India's summer to Australia's winter, authorities said Friday, in fresh evidence of the impact of climate change.

Mont Blanc: The Holy Grail of ultra-trail running

More than 2,000 runners will on Friday set off for the 20th edition of the Mont Blanc Ultra Trail, a hellish 170-kilometre trail run in weather that is already turning wintry.

Brazil high court resumes key Indigenous lands case

Brazil's Supreme Court resumed hearings Wednesday in a closely watched case on whether to restrict native peoples' rights to claim their ancestral lands, a key buffer against climate change.

Climate change boosts risk of extreme wildfires 25%: study

Climate change has sharply boosted the risk of fast-spreading wildfires, according to a Californian study published Wednesday that offers lessons for prevention after recent disasters in Canada, Greece and Hawaii.

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