Peruvian farmer sues German energy firm over melting glaciers
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The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Spain battles record fires even as end of heatwave brings lower temperatures
Spain tackled several major wildfires on Tuesday in one of the country's most destructive fire seasons in recent decades, despite temperatures dropping across the Iberian Peninsula. Thousands of firefighters aided by soldiers and water-bombing aircraft continued to fight fires tearing through parched woodland that were especially severe in northwestern Spain, where the country's weather agency AEMET reported a still 'very high or extreme' fire risk — particularly in the Galicia region. The fires in Galicia have ravaged small, sparsely populated towns, forcing locals in many cases to step in before firefighters arrive. Firefighting units from Germany arrived in northern Spain on Tuesday to help fight the blazes, Spain's Interior Ministry announced. More than 20 vehicles were deployed to help fight an ongoing blaze in Jarilla in the Extremadura region that borders Portugal, the ministry said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to visit Jarilla later on Tuesday. The fires in Spain, which have killed 4 people this year, have burned more than 382,000 hectares or about 1,475 square miles according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That surface area is more than twice the size of metropolitan London. Many fires have been triggered by human activity. Police have detained 23 people for suspected arson and are investigating 89 more, Spain's Civil Guard said Tuesday. In Portugal, more than 3,700 firefighters were tackling blazes, including 4 major ones in the north and center. Wildfires there have burned about 235,000 hectares or 907 square miles, according to EFFIS — nearly 5 times more than the 2006-2024 average for this period. Two people there have died. Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists say that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness in parts of Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
Spectator
6 days ago
- Spectator
Britain has a wind problem
Climate change is giving Britain more violent weather, with ever-increasing storms tearing down our trees and whipping up waves which erode our coastlines. No one ever seems to get into trouble for saying the above – as many did yet again during Storm Floris last week – in spite of it being the inverse of the truth. Actually, Britain has been experiencing a downwards trend in average and extreme wind speeds for the past four decades. One place where they won't be making that mistake, though, is the boardroom at German energy company RWE, which became the second wind company this week to report some financial disappointment – after Danish wind company Orsted announced a rights issue to fund offshore wind projects. RWE's profit fell by a quarter in the first half of this year, which it blamed on low wind speeds. I don't usually have a lot of time for companies which try to blame lousy results on the weather, but in this case you can see RWE's point by looking at the weather charts. Floris aside (and even she failed to live up to dire warnings) northern Europe has spent much of this year under becalmed, anticyclonic conditions. When the wind does blow, your wind turbines can't turn, hence the falling profits. Falling wind speeds – both in Britain and around most of the world – is the climatic trend we hear little about because it doesn't fit in with the general alarmist message. We have plenty of scientists spewing out projections of increased deaths from heatwaves or trying to calculate the cost of increased rainfall – which has risen by around 10 per cent in the past 60 years. But I have yet to see a single study which seeks to quantify how much damage has been averted because winds have been less strong in recent years than they were when the country was rocked by the Great Storm of 1987 and the Burns' Day storm of 1990. Generally, a trend towards lower wind speeds is benign. But it is something of an obvious problem when you are trying to build an energy system around wind power, as Britain is doing. Yet there is little sign it has entered Ed Miliband's head that he is trying to tap into a declining resource. The consequences certainly are dawning, however, at wind energy companies which – hit by rising costs as well as falling wind speeds – are demanding ever higher subsidised prices in order to build their plants. The German government has just failed to attract a single bid in its latest round of auctions to build wind farms in the North Sea. The same fate may well face Miliband's latest auction, AR7, which starts this month. This is even though the government has increased the maximum level of 'strike price' – a guaranteed price which rises with inflation for the next 15 years – to £113 million per megawatt-hour, nearly three times what was on offer three years ago. Besides the general fall in wind speeds, developers also have to take into account a localised phenomenon where wind turbines 'steal' the wind from other turbines which lie in their lee. The more crowded the North Sea becomes with wind turbines, the more acute this phenomenon will become. Green activists like to talk about the world reaching 'peak oil' – an event which keeps advancing into the future – but maybe we are already past the point of peak wind. At least Miliband can satisfy himself that his solar farms are having a good year, and indeed a good decade. Another climate trend which tends to be under-reported is Britain's increasing sunshine hours. Solar power is not a great solution to Britain's energy problems because of the unfailing tendency of its output to fall to zero when energy demand is at its highest, on winter evenings, but you only have to have been looking out of the window to realise that solar, unlike wind, is going to have a bumper year in Britain. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a hedge fund out there which is going to make a killing by short-selling wind farms and going long on solar farms.
Scottish Sun
07-08-2025
- Scottish Sun
Brit couple on holiday in Spain swept to their deaths by ‘massive wall of water' that rushed through gorge
The horror unfolded as an unexpected storm rolled in HOLIDAY HORROR Brit couple on holiday in Spain swept to their deaths by 'massive wall of water' that rushed through gorge Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A YOUNG couple drowned in flash floods while hiking after a "massive wall of water" appeared within "seconds", an inquest heard. Alexander Barrett, 32, and Sarah Thompson, 26, were on holiday in Majorca with a group of friends when tragedy struck on September 3, last year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The couple had been hiking with a group of climbers in Majorca Credit: Solarpix 3 Alexander Barrett, 32, and Sarah Thompson, 26, tragically drowned in the accident Credit: MEN Media 3 Alexander has been remembered as 'genuinely a good person, a caring person, a kind person' Credit: PA Climbing instructor and lifeguard Alexander tried to help his girlfriend as a "wall of water" came crashing down the canyon they were walking with other hikers, Stockport Coroner's Court heard. The couple, from Offerton, near Stockport in Manchester, were swept away. Spanish rescue teams discovered Sarah's body the following day. Specialist officers located Alexander's on September 6, in the Torrent de Pareis canyon, in the Tramuntana mountains. At the inquest, Sarah's devastated father Peter Thompson, said his daughter "was never without a smile on her face". And Alexander's heartbroken dad, Paul Rodman, told how his son "loved life". Paying tribute, he said: "He was genuinely a good person, a caring person, a kind person. "The friends and family have developed a little saying, 'Be more like Alex' because that's what we aspire to be. "He's missed so much by all his friends and family." Alexander's friend Luke Weaver, who was on the trip with the tragic couple said: "We all had a mutual passion for climbing and hiking." Bank boss & dad-of-three, 43, drops dead after repeatedly scaling mountain six times in crazy 'EVERESTING' challenge He told the inquest how the group had planned a three hour expedition, which was known to be "challenging in places". Mr Weaver had already completed the route several times, but neither Alexander nor Sarah had. The fellow climbing instructor, who had worked with Alexander, said he checked weather predictions in the morning. He knew the gorge had flooded, but the forecast only showed rain hitting at 6pm, by which time they'd no longer be in the area. "Had I known what was to happen, I would never have let them into the gorge," Mr Weaver added. The hiker dropped the group off by car, but was delayed in joining them due to hitting traffic while trying to park. He noticed it starting to rain at around 2.30pm but became concerned when a storm moved in shortly after. Mr Weaver said he saw his friends, who were now with a German couple and two Spanish nationals, in a "bottleneck" between two boulders. "At this point the heavens opened," he said. "At this time the water was flowing like a small river." He went to help the group and asked Sarah if she was "OK" and she replied yes but with a "nervous smile". "Seconds later a massive wall of water came down the gorge," Mr Weaver said. "The water appeared to come from nowhere. The sound was incredibly loud, people were screaming." Mr Weaver told the inquest he saw one person clinging onto a rock, but one of the Spanish nationals had been swept away. His partner managed to get out of the water and after a few minutes others emerged gasping for air above the surface. Survivors were airlifted out of the gorge by helicopter, suffering only minor injuries. But Alexander and Sarah had been taken by the current, the inquest heard. Mr Weaver added: "Everyone who survived that day is incredibly lucky, especially those who got caught in the water. "I have never experienced anything like this and it is something I will never forget." Post-mortem examinations gave the cause of death as drowning for both of the deceased. Jyoti Gill, assistant coroner for Manchester South, recorded a verdict of accidental death caused by drowning for the couple. "It appears water dragged Sarah, and Alex had tried to help her," Ms Gill concluded. "Sadly, both Sarah and Alex were unable to climb to safety and were swept away by the floodwaters," she added. Sarah had represented Cumbria at fell running in national competitions. She earned a degree in photography from Manchester Metropolitan University, and had recently been promoted in the donations team at The Christie hospital in Manchester.
