Federal environment department tells industry representatives the government does not want to ‘exacerbate cost of living pressures’
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The Albanese government has been accused of breaking a promise after it shelved a longstanding commitment to bring in packaging standards intended to force manufacturers and retailers to cut plastic waste.
The federal environment department told industry representatives via email last week that the promise would not be kept before the next election because the government did not want to “exacerbate cost of living pressures”.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
09/11/2026 - 10:00
09/11/2026 - 07:37
Businesses, charities and other groups sign letter calling for levies to be paid by the government
More than 120 organisations including big businesses and charities have called for the removal of “hidden taxes” added to energy bills to help reduce costs for consumers and prevent businesses closing.
In a letter to the chancellor the signatories – including Energy UK, business trade body the CBI, End Fuel Poverty and Age UK – called for levies amounting to 10% of energy bills that fund policies to be paid for by the government. John Healey is to present his first budget on 28 October.
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09/11/2026 - 05:00
Findings on decline of species such as Arctic tern and turtle dove published alongside flyways pledge at Kenya summit
One in nine migratory birds are threatened with extinction and 45% of migratory species such as cuckoos, turtle doves and Arctic terns are in decline, according to a global report.
The migratory slender-billed curlew was officially declared extinct last year, the first global bird extinction in mainland Eurasia and Africa in recent centuries. Worldwide, seven migratory bird species have been confirmed or are suspected to have become extinct over the last 150 years.
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09/11/2026 - 02:00
This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world
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09/11/2026 - 01:00
From an energy-efficient bungalow in the South Downs to an historic chapel in Northumberland
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09/11/2026 - 00:00
The country is one of just three that still permits commercial whaling, while its government has faced mounting pressure to ban the practice
Iceland will submit a bill in February 2027 which could permanently ban whaling in its waters, a move that would leave Norway and Japan as the only two countries to permit commercial whaling.
Whaling in Iceland has been put under intense scrutiny since a government-commissioned report was published in 2023 that found harpooned whales took two hours to die. The report led to a temporary suspension of the hunt that year.
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09/10/2026 - 09:00
We’d like to hear from people about the impact of extreme heat this summer – and if you’ve had your power cut
It’s been a record summer of heat in the US with rolling heat domes and July being the hottest month ever recorded in the country, surpassing temperatures stretching back over 132 years of reliable measurements, to 1895. July’s temperatures surpassed previous high marks set in July 1936, in the teeth of dust bowl conditions, and in July 2012.
We want to hear from people across the US on how they have coped with the heat – and what it has meant for utility bills. Has the heat affected you or your family physically? Have you had to change your daily routines?
Have your bills soared with the cost of keeping your home cool?
And we especially want to hear from people who have had their electricity cut off during the extreme heat or have had trouble keeping up with utility payments.
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09/10/2026 - 09:00
The island chain has tended to avoid the worst effects, but Hurricanes Lowell and Lala left a trail of damage this year
Hurricane Lowell surged near the Hawaiian Islands this week, leaving a trail of downed trees and power lines, crumbled roads, sunken boats and destroyed piers on the island of Kauai.
Residents were left to grapple not only with the damage, but the rising risks to the tropical archipelago as sea surface temperatures climb.
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09/10/2026 - 09:00
Hot weather means sweeter grapes, but outlook gloomier for beermakers, as drought diminishes barley harvest
English sparkling winemakers expect their earliest grape harvest and a “vintage year” after a scorching summer quickly ripened grapes.
However, beer sellers have warned of a potential shortage after record-breaking temperatures and a drought hitting much of England has caused poor yields of barley.
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09/10/2026 - 07:50
Chemours, DuPont and Corteva reach settlement after lawsuits accuse companies of polluting drinking water
Chemours, DuPont and Corteva on Thursday reached a $455m settlement with North Carolina and 11 local entities over Pfas contamination claims tied to Chemours’ Fayetteville Works plant and other historical discharges.
Lawsuits accusing major chemical companies of polluting US drinking water with toxic Pfas chemicals – a group of pollutants referred to as “forever chemicals” – have led to settlements worth billions of dollars, including one struck by the three companies in New Jersey last year.
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