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PESTICIDES can impair brain growth in baby bumblebees and affect their ability to perform a simple learning task as adults, according to a new study. Imperial College London researchers used micro-CT scanning technology to reveal how specific parts of bumblebee brains grew abnormally when exposed to pesticides during their larval phase. Most previous studies have tested the effects of pesticide exposure...

SCOTLAND will work with all parties to deliver a successful COP26 in Glasgow, Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has said. Updating parliament, she said that COP26 offered an unique opportunity for Scotland to put progress towards decarbonisation at the forefront of people’s thinking. It comes as the Scottish Police Authority have revised their estimated costs for policing the event to £180...

THE OFFICE for Low Emission Vehicles has confirmed the continuation of the ‘electric vehicle homecharge scheme’ (EVHS) and ‘workplace charging scheme’ (WCS) for another year. Office for Low Emission Vehicles is also re-confirming the continuation of the ‘on street residential chargepoint scheme’ (ORCS) for another year. To date over 120,000 domestic chargepoint installations have benefited from HMG grants as well as over 6,500 workplace installations,...

A NEW £6.5 million English language programme to help local authorities to meet the English language needs of their communities was announced by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick last week. Building on the success of previous community-based programmes, the English for Speakers of Other Languages for Integration Fund will fund classes for up to 25 local authorities. Mr Jenrick commented the scheme:...

A SNIPPET of research notes from BloombergNEF forecasts how the Corona virus could affect the clean energy market. The influential analyst released fresh projections looking at the likely effects of Covid-19, which was officially declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation this week, on markets for renewable electricity, electric vehicles, heating, cooling, and the circular economy. The company voices...

A CONCEPT of a National Forest running the length and breadth of Wales was unveiled yesterday by First Minister Mark Drakeford. Backed by £5 million in this year’s Budget, the National Forest will create areas of new woodland and help to restore and maintain some of Wales’ unique and irreplaceable ancient woodlands. Mr Drakeford commented on the plans: "We want to...

STARTING from April all new building developments taller than five metres at Brighton & Hove need to offer nesting spots for distinctive birds to halt their decline. Swifts are urban birds which make their nests in rooftops or in old buildings after flying over 6,000 miles from Africa in the spring. Approved by the RSPB, 'swift bricks' are bird boxes that...

SOUTHAMPTON City Council has published its Green City Plan 2030, setting ambitious vision for a 'cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable council'. With more than 60 specific actions delivered in the next three years, the Council’s Green City Plan explains the principles it will apply, its priorities and the outcomes its wants to achieve over the next 10 years. It also...

LEWISHAM Climate Emergency Strategic Action Plan that sets out a path for the London borough to become carbon neutral by 2030 has been approved by the Mayor and Council. The plan sets out a detailed goals for Lewisham in aspects such as housing and transport, not only listing future actions for the Council itself but what the Council's partners, such...

SSE Enterprise Telecoms has announced they have launched an independently chaired Technical User Group that has brought together five of the UK’s leading water companies, created to develop consistent guidelines for installing fibre in the sewers. The news comes at a time when there is currently no existing agreed-upon standard for deploying fibre in the sewers that ensures minimal disruption...