News

Darryl Cunnington, a former policeman and investigator for the charity League Against Cruel Sport, suffered a broken neck when attacked by men apparently engaged in preparing for illegal fox hunting. The attackers have been spared prison, reports BRENDAN MONTAGUE

The government of Hawaii - once a defender of the GM corn industry - has passed a law that forces agro-chemical companies to disclose what pesticides they spray. It has also become the first US state to ban the chlorpyrifos, which has been linked to brain damage in babies. Christopher Pala reports

The House of Commons has passed a government amendment to strengthen environmental protection in the EU Withdrawal Bill. However, critics said it would still result in lower protection than the UK has currently, writes CATHERINE EARLY

The red squirrel, wildcat and the grey long-eared bat are all under severe threat, according to the first comprehensive review of their populations for more than 20 years, writes CATHERINE EARLY

A global climate movement has announced a major mobilisation effort planned for later this year. Some of the world's leading climate change organisations will take part in the Rise for Climate coordinated action to showcase what they say is real climate leadership. CATHERINE HARTE reports

The humble guppy fish may be tiny in size but it's big in brain power according to new research. Male guppies living within close proximity of predators have been found to have bigger brains than those who don't. SABRINA WEISS reports

Badger baiting is as popular as ever - and the true scale of the crime remains unknown, according to an investigation by BBC Wales. The Investigates programme infiltrated a gang over a six month period to expose its cruel and illegal activity, writes CATHERINE HARTE

The majority of meat, fish and dairy suppliers are not managing environmental and social risks, according to an analysis of 60 global food companies. Meanwhile, Scottish campaigners are asking for more sustainable food. CATHERINE EARLY reports

The REN21 Renewables 2018 Global Status Report was published this week. Britain leads the world only in the amount it has cut investment in solar and wind energy. And state subsidies to oil and gas continue to distort the market slow progress to clean energy. OLIVER TICKELL reports

Gardeners across Britain are being asked to earn their stripes by joining the Great British Bee Count and help our threatened pollinators. Bees are good for flowers - and also support our farmers, argues EMI MURPHY of Friends of the Earth

Environmental protesters had blocked access to a controversial opencast coal mine in County Durham for over 26 hours by Sunday evening, after the site operator said it had started mining at the site. ALEXANDRA HEAL reports

Meat production is the elephant in the room when it comes to addressing the major threats to environmental sustainability. Going vegan seems like biting off more than you can chew for many campaigning charities. But DR JULIAN VIGO argues that now we must take the bull by the horns...

Overharvesting for the luxury food market is pushing the iconic Chinese giant salamander to the brink. The future of the world’s largest amphibian is in serious jeopardy unless coordinated conservation measures are put in place. CATHERINE HARTE reports

Climate change negotiations in Germany earlier this month concluded with strong criticism from civil society groups for the lack of progress on regulating the influence of fossil fuel industries on international climate discussions. ANNA PEREZ CATALA from Climate Tracker reports

Maya beach - made famous by Danny Boyle’s 2000 film, The Beach - is due to close today because of the wreckage tourism has made of the area. ROBYN WILSON asks, is Thailand's expanding tourism sector pushing its environment to the point of no return?

The nation was gripped by Blue Planet II and the final episode showing the impact of plastics on the oceans and environment has created a groundswell of concern. The campaign One Plastic Free Day, supported by Sky and others, hopes to reach millions around the world

The Wildlife Trusts’ month-long national nature challenge begins on Friday, 1 June 2018. An estimated 250,000 people took part last year, pledging to do something wild every day throughout the month. Already 54,500 people, schools and workplaces have signed up throughout the UK. BRENDAN MONTAGUE reports

Progressive environmental and social policies have been won in Barcelona and across Catalonia. This has led activists around the world to examine Spanish grassroots movements. LUKE STOBART, who is researching a book for Verso on the new politics, warns that hard lessons do have to be learned

Most consumers have no idea how appalling the lives of intensively reared pigs are. As the truth comes out eating habits are changing. MATT MELLEN and KIRSTIE PHILPOT report

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism report published today reveals industrial scale beef farming is now a 'fact on the ground' across the UK. The new farms raise concerns about animal welfare and health. ANDREW WASLEY and HEATHER KROEKER from the Bureau report

The Church of Scotland voted on Wednesday to continue investing in oil and gas companies - just a month after a number of leading Catholic organisations announced they were divesting from fossil fuels, writes CATHERINE HARTE

Brexit will result in Britain exiting the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy. It will have to decide whether subsidies to farmers should be retained, or reformed. In the second part of this groundbreaking investigation a team of investigative journalists from across Europe - publishing with THE ECOLOGIST - assess how effective the environmental mechanisms of CAP really are.

North Yorkshire County Council gave planning permission for frackers Halliburton - while having shares in ... Halliburton. The council argues the decisions were made by different committees, avoiding a conflict of interest. JAN GOODEY investigates

Almost a trillion Euros in taxpayers' money is handed to EU farmers as part of the Common Agricultural Policy. The money is supposed to leverage environmental practices. But an international team of investigative journalists, today publishing with THE ECOLOGIST, has found the cash actually feeds significant pollution