Guardian, the (UK)

In Canada and the US, the Depave movement is tearing up hard surfaces in favour of gardens to soak up rainwater and help prevent flooding. Meanwhile, Britain’s front gardens are being paved for parking while back gardens become patios. As intense rainfalls in Britain are becoming the new norm, gardens are seriously under-rated for flood protection and risk reduction.

Climate-related disasters increase the risk of armed conflicts, with one quarter of the violent struggles in ethnically divided countries preceded by extreme weather. The scientists behind the new research say it could be used to predict where future violence might flare, allowing preventative measures to be taken, with the co-benefit of climate stabilisation: peace.

Seawalls, like dykes, levees and berms, have been used across the world for centuries to protect homes and assets. But they stop the beach from being a dynamic system, in which wind and waves continually reshape the shore. In Australia, seawalls have come under greater scrutiny and there is an ongoing debate to defend, accommodate or retreat.

The UK is poorly prepared for the inevitable impacts of global warming in coming decades, including deadly annual heatwaves, water shortages and difficulties in producing food. Action must be taken now, according to the Committee on Climate Change report published Tuesday, with more widespread flooding and new diseases among the risks in most urgent need of addressing.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 led to the closure of European airspace and harmed air quality. Until monitoring stations were established last year, Scotland was ill-equipped to assess how it was affected. Now, its environmental agency is consulting on a new monitoring network to detect the release of particulates and sulphur dioxide from Iceland’s volcanoes.

As the Earth’s temperature rises at an alarming rate, Britain faces the threat of catastrophic flooding. An upcoming Climate Change Committee assessment report will outline the most urgent risks from climate change. Initial estimates put the cost of flooding at £428m as the average global temperature rises by 2C and 180,000 more British homes at risk of flooding by 2050.

Under an accord announced Tuesday, Pacific Gas & Electric Co (PG&E) will close California's last plant, ending safety debates over proximity to seismic faults. PG&E has long said the plant is safe from the largest potential earthquake in the region, but new research has led to questions about nearby faults, their shaking potential and how the company evaluates them.

Forest wildfires rampaging across Russia are being significantly under-reported by authorities, according to Greenpeace. Analysis of satellite data reveals 3.5m hectares have burned this year, while government statistics claim only 669,000 hectares. Understating the extent of wildfires delays assistance from other regions and can even lead to human casualties.