The ocean is contaminated by trillions more pieces of plastic than thought 16/12/2015

Somewhere between 15 trillion and 51 trillion pieces of plastic litters the world’s oceans, a new study has found. That’s three to 10 times more plastic than scientists had previously estimated. ...more

Dubai cities summit seeks low-carbon strategies 15/12/2015

Fresh on the heels of the COP 21 climate summit in Paris, the United Nations is set to open a new environmental policy centre in Dubai to foster new low-carbon, green-building initiatives in the UAE and Middle East. ...more

UN wants world leaders to sign climate deal on April 22 15/12/2015

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday he is inviting world leaders to the United Nations on April 22 — Earth Day — to sign the landmark agreement to tackle climate change that was reached in Paris. ...more

EU parliament panel rejects car pollution rules as too lax 15/12/2015

The European parliament's environmental committee voted on Monday against new car pollution rules they say are too lenient in the light of the Volkswagen scandal which exposed loopholes in existing emissions tests. ...more

Aircraft pollution a worrisome gap in Paris deal: EU climate boss 15/12/2015

The omission of aviation from the Paris climate deal could cause "a very big problem" if talks next year fail to make progress on a global plan to reduce aircraft pollution, the European climate chief said on Monday. ...more

Hazardous smog hits Shanghai as China's bad air spreads 15/12/2015

Smog in Chinese metropolis Shanghai hit its highest level since January on Tuesday, prompting schools to ban outdoor activities and authorities to limit work at construction sites and factories as polluted air spreads around the country. ...more

Melting glaciers blamed for subtle slowing of Earth's rotation 14/12/2015

The melting of glaciers caused by the world's rising temperatures appears to be causing a slight slowing of the Earth's rotation in another illustration of the far-reaching impact of global climate change, scientists said on Friday. ...more

Pope calls for global commitment to put climate pact into action 14/12/2015

Pope Francis on Sunday urged the countries that signed the landmark Paris agreement on climate change to join in a concerted commitment to put it in practice urgently and to remember the poor as they do so. ...more

Norway extends forest conservation initiative 14/12/2015

The Norwegian government has extended its multi-billion dollar forest protection initiative. ...more

Ford drives forward electric vehicle market with $4.5bn investment 14/12/2015

Ford is to invest an additional $4.5bn in electric vehicles by 2020, adding 13 new models to its product portfolio, the company announced last week. ...more