Climate Thoughts with Brian

Tag: environment

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 ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson

I must begin by making a whispered confession- this is the first time that I have read ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson. Of course, I have previously been aware of its revolutionary impact, ground-breaking work and awakening of the public, but it always seemed to be a book to be read at another time. Here,…
Read more: Review of ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson
Yorkshire Water have ‘no plans for water restrictions’ as reservoir levels hit 45.5%

As the latest water situation report for September is published, Yorkshire Water repeat their statement that they have ‘no plans for water restrictions’. Levels hit 45.5% for September, coming very close to the 46% levels of September 2025, when the region was under a hosepipe ban. Readings remain well below the 68.7% average for this…
Read more: Yorkshire Water have ‘no plans for water restrictions’ as reservoir levels hit 45.5%
Yorkshire Water’s CEO permanently ‘unavailable’ for Ripon City Council’s accountability meeting

Despite no future meeting date being set, Yorkshire Water’s CEO states she cannot attend meeting, owing to her ‘availability’. Ripon City Council recently invited the CEO of Yorkshire Water to a council meeting following levels of pollution in local rivers. The invitation, unanimously agreed on by councillors present, read, ‘This council calls upon Yorkshire Water…
Read more: Yorkshire Water’s CEO permanently ‘unavailable’ for Ripon City Council’s accountability meeting
Back to Bentham: What next for the people of Bentham still waiting for answers?

Almost four months ago, ITV released their documentary on high PFAS levels in the blood of some Bentham residents. Bentham, once dubbed ‘the most PFAS polluted town in the UK, has been in the spotlight for several years now, as investigations revealed incredibly high levels of PFAS chemicals in the groundwater of their wastewater lagoons.…
Read more: Back to Bentham: What next for the people of Bentham still waiting for answers?
Ripon Repair Café: One Year On and Still Going Strong.

Repair culture proving popular against rising consumerism Ripon Repair Café opened its doors once again this Saturday (11th July) to mark the first anniversary of beginning their repair journey in 2025. Sue Griffin, an organiser for the local repair team said, ‘In the first year of the repair café, we have saved a lot of…
Read more: Ripon Repair Café: One Year On and Still Going Strong.
Outrage as 2.7 million chicken mega-farm proposed for quiet North Yorkshire village

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chicken_meat_industry.jpg Plans to build a large chicken factory farm, capable of producing 2.7 million birds each year in the village of Melmerby, near Ripon, are coming under renewed scrutiny from campaigners. Forest Poultry Ltd have submitted a planning application to erect six poultry housing units, 126 metres in length, to produce approximately 2.7 million birds…
Read more: Outrage as 2.7 million chicken mega-farm proposed for quiet North Yorkshire village
Tollerton campaigners hit back at ‘unlawful’ council process

Rushcliffe Borough Council under pressure from campaigners as deadline looms for plan adoption. Save Nottingham City Airfield Group is calling on Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) to pause its plans to approve a significantly revised planning document and instead allow proper public consultation. The Council’s cabinet is due to consider adopting an updated version of the…
Read more: Tollerton campaigners hit back at ‘unlawful’ council process
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’
A renewables revolution is an ethical and legal necessity for the UK.

We can be in no doubt that the climate crisis is here. The impacts are being felt around the world: from famines, flooding, dangerous heatwaves and global temperature records being repeatedly broken. We are already in a ‘brave new world’. With the news published today, that we are likely to witness an 80% likelihood of…
Read more: A renewables revolution is an ethical and legal necessity for the UK.