Climate
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Seals, dolphins, porpoises thriving in Thames
Does nature always bounce back? The Thames was declared dead, without oxygen, in the 1950s. This summer, 138 seal pups were spotted basking on the banks, and swimming among new marine life.
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Amazon loses football pitch of trees each minute
Can we stop Brazil cutting down trees in the Amazon rainforest? Satellite images show that an area the size of a football pitch is lost every minute. It is replaced with farmland for cows.
- Climate
- Reading Band 8
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Europe’s brutal heatwave could be the new normal
Can Europe adapt to rising temperatures? Last week, France sizzled in 45.9C heat — the hottest the country has ever seen — while soldiers fought wildfires in Spain. Is global warming winning?
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Japan goes whaling for first time in 30 years
Is it wrong for Japan to hunt whales? Yesterday, eight ships set sail for Japan’s first commercial whale hunts since 1986. However, some say this is the beginning of the end.
- Climate
- Reading Band 11
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World population to reach 10 billion by 2100
Can Earth sustain so many people? The United Nations predicts that our global population will peak at about 10.9 billion by the end of the century. It could put a big strain on resources.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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UK drenched in rainiest June on record
Should we be grateful for all this rain? It is a very wet week across the UK, with floods in some parts of the country. Many of us do not like rain, but it has an important job.
- Climate
- Reading Band 5
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We must all stop flying now, urge activists
Should we all give up flying to save the planet? By 2050, air travel will be responsible for 16% of global carbon emissions. The growing No-Fly movement is pledging to do something about it.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Thousands of letters demand action on plastic
Should plastic be banned? Six billion tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year. This week, students are sending letters to the Government demanding an end to the pollution.
- Climate
- Reading Band 5
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One million species at risk of extinction
Can we reverse the damage caused by humans on the planet? A major report has warned that if we don’t act urgently to change our habits, we risk harming not only the animal world, but also the...
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Pressure mounts to speed up action on climate
Could we go carbon-free in just six years? The protest group Extinction Rebellion says that this must happen in order to save the planet. Politicians say it is impossible. Who is right?
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Giraffe numbers drop dramatically by 40%
Should giraffes be declared endangered? The USA is considering the measure in a bid to save the declining species, but some experts say it could do more harm than good.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Grub’s up! Restaurant puts bugs on the menu
Is eating insects a good idea? A restaurant in New York is serving grasshoppers, worms and scorpions to hungry customers. Some people think, soon, we will all eat insects.
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The 16-year-old who politicians queue to meet
Will they listen? Sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg visited the UK this week. She gave a powerful speech in Parliament, saying that children wanted to “wake the adults up”.
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Hundreds arrested in climate protests
Did the protesters go too far? This week, the Extinction Rebellion climate action group brought the city of London to a standstill. They wanted to get as many people arrested as possible.
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Warning that water could run out in 25 years
The head of England’s Environment Agency has warned that we are set to run out of water in 25 years. To avoid a crisis, he says that we must urgently reduce the amount of water we use.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+