Climate Thoughts with Brian

Category: Uncategorized

Yorkshire Water awarded lowest environment rating by Environment Agency

Yorkshire Water has been downgraded from a two star rating to a one star rating by the Environment Agency today, now classifying the company as a ‘poor performing company.’ The Environment Agency noted that Yorkshire Water had reported ‘335 pollution incidents including 13 classed as serious, 82% of incidents were self-reported.’ Yorkshire Water was rated…
Read more: Yorkshire Water awarded lowest environment rating by Environment Agency
‘Unprecedented highs’ of greenhouse gases lock in temperature increase for the planet

https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldmeteorologicalorganization/55484135012/in/album-72157717964599896 Credit Muhammad Amdad Hossain / WMO Levels of carbon dioxide and other major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached unprecedented highs in 2025, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), thus locking in more long-term temperature increase for the planet. The globally averaged surface concentration of CO2 in 2025 was…
Read more: ‘Unprecedented highs’ of greenhouse gases lock in temperature increase for the planet
Over 10,000 children in Yorkshire hospitalised owing to toxic air pollution

New Freedom of Information data obtained by Mums for Lungs has found that over 200,000 children are taken to hospital with breathing difficulties in a survey of 11 major English cities. The youngest children are most affected. Over 120,000 babies and toddlers aged up to 3 accounting for over half (57%) of those admitted to…
Read more: Over 10,000 children in Yorkshire hospitalised owing to toxic air pollution
Campaigners challenge ‘sustainable’ claim of 2.7 million chicken factory in North Yorkshire

Local campaigners have today lodged a further objection to the 2.7 million chicken factory planned for the quiet village of Melmerby in North Yorkshire. Their objection follows a revised form of the National Planning Policy Framework, published in August 2026, which according to the applicant, Forest Poultry Ltd, gives the green light for their proposal.…
Read more: Campaigners challenge ‘sustainable’ claim of 2.7 million chicken factory in North Yorkshire
Review of ‘The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet’ by Leah C. Stokes

‘Climate change is not our destiny. Together we can change the future.’ It is important to read that again. ‘The Carbon Wave’ chronicles the story of how bold climate legislation in the United States was passed, but it does so through the lens of personal narratives of determination and sacrifice to leave the world a…
Read more: Review of ‘The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet’ by Leah C. Stokes
Yorkshire moves into drought but no water restrictions expected

Environment Agency moves Yorkshire into drought status Yorkshire Water is not planning to introduce water restrictions for customers despite Yorkshire today being moved into drought status by the Environment Agency, thanks to extensive work to manage supplies, reduce leakage and move water around the region’s network. Recent rainfall not enough Water Minister Emma Hardy said:…
Read more: Yorkshire moves into drought but no water restrictions expected
WMO: ‘Prepare for El Niño’

El Niño is coming- and we are not prepared. By Storm surge by David Baird, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123271310 A new WMO El Niño/La Niña Update indicates an 80% likelihood of an El Niño event during June–August 2026. Probabilities for this to continue until at least November are near or above 90%. Although some uncertainty…
Read more: WMO: ‘Prepare for El Niño’
2024 global temperature record is consistent with model predictions

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that the record warmth was entirely consistent with expectations on a warming planet. When accounting for human-caused warming alongside natural climate variability like El Niño and La Niña climate patterns, the 2024 temperatures actually showed that climate models today are capturing the…
Read more: 2024 global temperature record is consistent with model predictions
NOT A SINGLE COMPLETED WATER COMPANY PROSECUTION FOR POLLUTION INCIDENTS IN LAST FIVE YEARS

In yet another exclusive on pollution incidents, Channel 4 revealed last night (Wed 6th May) that the Environment Agency has not completed a single prosecution of a water company for any pollution occurring in the last five years, despite almost 2 million sewage discharges. None of the completed prosecutions relate to the thousands of serious…
Read more: NOT A SINGLE COMPLETED WATER COMPANY PROSECUTION FOR POLLUTION INCIDENTS IN LAST FIVE YEARS
Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average

European State of the Climate report provides comprehensive overview of climate indicators Findings released today from European Centre for Medium- Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlight key changes in climate indicators for the world’s fastest warming continent. A range of factors are addressed in the report ranging from cold environments,…
Read more: Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average