Environment

Published: 27 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The UK government is facing fresh questions over how the rapid expansion of data centres — facilities that house computing infrastructure for digital services and artificial intelligence (AI) — could affect the country’s climate and net zero emissions targets, after Energy Secretary Ed Miliband acknowledged the “inherently uncertain” nature of their environmental impact. In a letter to the...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A North Dakota court has delivered a dramatic Greenpeace $345m ruling that could reshape environmental activism in the United States. The decision stems from protests nearly a decade ago against the controversial Dakota Access pipeline. A state judge confirmed he will sign an order requiring Greenpeace entities to pay damages linked to those demonstrations. The Greenpeace $345m ruling...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Death Valley is experiencing a surge of wildflowers after unusually heavy rainfall boosted early bloom conditions. The desert, known for extreme heat and aridity, has transformed into a vibrant carpet of yellow, purple, and orange flowers stretching across vast miles. Park officials describe this year as “above-average” for blooms, suggesting that the area may soon enter a full...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Tropical flowers are now blooming months earlier or later than historical norms because of climate change. This shift has been identified in a comprehensive study analysing over 8,000 plant specimens spanning more than two centuries. Researchers focused on species from Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, and Thailand, regions known for unparalleled biodiversity yet historically understudied in climate impact research. The...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A loud cheer erupted in Bansilalpet, Hyderabad, as the first trickle of clean water appeared. After eighteen months of clearing three thousand tonnes of rubbish and restoring stone walls, the 17th-century stepwell finally produced potable water. Residents, who had watched the site deteriorate into a dumping ground for decades, gathered to celebrate the revival of this historical water...

Published: 26 February 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Police in Leicestershire have launched a public appeal after a goshawk, a protected bird of prey, was found shot and seriously injured in woodland near Melton Mowbray, prompting outrage among wildlife campaigners and calls for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. The incident, described by officers and conservation groups as “brutal and senseless”, has raised...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Chronic ocean heating is driving a rapid and unprecedented loss of marine life worldwide, researchers have confirmed. Scientists found fish populations fell by 7.2% for every 0.1C of decadal warming, a pattern that could accelerate as temperatures rise. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, examined more than 33,000 populations across the northern hemisphere between 1993 and...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Italian scientists studying Mimmo, a solitary dolphin in the Venice lagoon, say humans need management, not wildlife. Since its first appearance in June 2025, Mimmo has captured public attention with playful leaps and interactions near crowded canals, prompting both delight and concern among residents and tourists alike. The bottlenose dolphin, typically found in pods, has instead chosen the...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Scotland’s climate strategy is facing fresh criticism for relying heavily on unproven technologies and uncertain projections. The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) has expressed concern about the feasibility of the Scottish government’s long-term emissions targets, despite acknowledging that its recent short-term plans are more realistic. Nigel Topping, chair of the CCC, highlighted that Scotland’s new approach to carbon...

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A legal claim against South West Water over sewage pollution has now widened significantly. The focus of this claim, which began in Exmouth, targets alleged environmental failings harming coastal communities, local businesses, and individuals across Devon and Cornwall. Thousands more residents can now join the action, marking one of the first environmental group legal cases in the UK...