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Government urged to enforce more stringent rules amid target to build 1.5m new homes this parliament Labour must stand firm against special pleading from housebuilders, who are likely to argue against fitting out new homes to stringent green standards, experts have warned. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, laid out sweeping changes to the planning system on Monday in her first speech on reviving economic growth while pursuing the climate goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Continue reading...

Researchers say EV models with vehicle-to-grid capability will be a huge and flexible resource able to respond to emergencies Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast On 13 February, when freak winds brought down a transmission line in Victoria and shut down the state’s largest power station, a fleet of electric cars plugged into a charger in Canberra 500km away stirred. Within six seconds, 16 vehicles started discharging their batteries, sending power back into the grid. While the contribution – part of a pioneering research project – was minuscule compared with the 90,000 households who lost electricity, the experiment showed how EVs could help ease grid calamities of the future. Continue reading...

Rachel Reeves says she will revise planning policy and decisions should be taken nationally, not locally Business live – latest updates UK politics live – latest updates The Labour government is to end a de facto ban on new onshore windfarms, to the delight of environmentalists and energy experts. The ban was caused by two footnotes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the rules that govern the building of homes and infrastructure. These footnotes applied only to onshore wind, and no other type of infrastructure, and required such strong proof that there was no opposition locally that they made building turbines impossible, given there is nearly always some local resistance to any building proposal. Continue reading...

The lifting of a long-held ban has angered conservationists, but others argue trophy hunting can support local economies and even help protect threatened species In the borderlands of Tanzania and Kenya, the “super tuskers” roam. A combination of old age, genetic pooling and prolonged protection from poaching has created a population of bull elephants with enormous tusks, weighing up to 45kg apiece, large enough to scrape along the ground as the animals walk. To many, the bulls are “living icons” of the African savannah. They are also highly prized by trophy hunters. Now, a series of super-tusker killings has sparked a bitter international battle over trophy hunting and its controversial, sometimes counterintuitive role in conservation. Some conservationists believe the killing of these extraordinary animals should not be allowed. Others say controlled, regulated hunting can actually contribute to elephants’ long-term survival by providing jobs for local people and incentives for habitats to be preserved. Continue reading...