A large number of whales have been observed around Iceland after the summer whale count. Fin whales are the main species observed by the researchers.
The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland (MFRI) has recently conducted a census of whales in Icelandic waters. The count, which took place over a month, shows that the whale forecast for the year was very good with over 4000 whales counted.
– A great number of whales were spotted, MFRI whale expert Guðjón Már Sigurðsson told Icelandic state broadcaster RUV. Most of all, fin whales. After those, long-finned pilot whales, northern bottlenose whales, and humpback whales.
There have also been reports of large pods of humpback whales near the island of Grímsey, north of Iceland, according to Sigurðsson. It is believed that these particular whales were following a school of mackerel, but the expert also believes that humpback whales in general have increased in numbers.
We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.
Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…
Through a mobile game, individuals can “play” by heading out into nature, removing invasive plants, and even getting paid for their efforts. This year, seven Swedish municipalities are testing the game.
The Crowdsorsa mobile game has been used in Finland for three consecutive years, where last year it removed invasive plants from 7000 observations. It is also available in Canada.
This year, the municipalities of Hagfors, Örebro, Sunne, Karlsborg, Lilla Edet, Tanum and Falun are trying it out. The idea is that individuals find invasive plants, either via the map in the app or by themselves, remove them and get paid. As proof, they must film before and after clearing.
The total budget for this year in Sweden is SEK 126,000 (€11,600), which individuals can “play” for. At most, you can earn SEK 200 (€18.5) per hour, with the municipality responsible for paying out the reward.
“Fun way to work”
Last year, it was also successfully used in Hagfors and Örebro. In Hagfors, a total of 17 different teams played.
– The players did a great job! We think it’s a fun way to work with invasive alien species and an effective way to reach the public – and especially young people – with knowledge about invasive species, says municipal ecologist Katarina Karlsson in Hagfors municipality to Natursidan.
Invasive species often spread quickly and can displace native species, which in turn can damage the ecosystem. The game starts already in June, where, among other things, large-leaved lupine, Himalayan balsam and Canadian goldenrod will be removed.
Despite promises of groundbreaking climate solutions, Swiss carbon dioxide giant Climeworks’ facility in Iceland has not only captured far less than promised – it has also emitted more carbon dioxide than it has absorbed.
Critics say the whole operation is deeply deceptive and one of many examples of scam projects created to profit from the alleged climate crisis.
Climeworks, a Swiss company that markets itself as a pioneer in direct carbon capture (DAC), has failed to achieve its targets in Iceland despite significant investment and media attention.
According to data from the verification company Puro.Earth and the company’s own annual reports, Climeworks has only captured around 2,400 tons of CO₂ in Iceland since 2021 – far below the promised capacity ceiling of 12,000 tons. In addition, the company’s own emissions from its operations have exceeded its capture: in 2023 alone, Climeworks emitted 1,700 tons of CO₂, significantly more than its total capture.
Climeworks’ first facility, Orca, was unveiled in 2021 with a capacity of 4,000 tons of CO₂ per year. In reality, it has never even reached half that target. The larger Mammoth facility, which could capture 36,000 tons annually, has only managed to collect 105 tons after ten months of operation.
According to CEO Jan Wurzbacher, Mammoth requires 5,000–6,000 kWh per ton of CO₂ captured – a process described as extremely inefficient. To offset Iceland’s total emissions (12.4 million tons in 2024), 72 terawatt hours of energy would be needed – four times the country’s annual electricity production.
Professor: “A scam”
Climeworks’ Icelandic subsidiary has negative equity of ISK 3.6 billion (€25 million) and is entirely dependent on funding from its parent company. The value of the Orca machine has also been written down by €1.25 million due to underperformance.
Despite this, the company has sold future carbon credits equivalent to one-third of Mammoth’s planned capacity for the next 25 years – even though over 21,000 private subscribers who have paid in advance risk having to wait decades for their certificates.
Mark Z. Jacobson, professor of environmental science at Stanford University, calls the entire DAC industry a big scam and fraud.
– Direct capture is a scam, carbon capture is a scam, blue hydrogen is a scam, and electrofuel is a scam. These are all scam technologies that do nothing for the climate or air pollution.
“Semi-magical technology”
Michael de Podesta, a British pensioner who paid ISK 135,000 (€940) for 2.2 tons of CO₂ capture, expresses similar concerns in his blog, and after looking into the company more closely, he believes he has probably been scammed.
“This has all the hallmarks of a scam. There are undoubtedly a lot of highly paid people traveling the world to sell their services to large corporations to remove carbon credits in the future. They are using a semi-magical technology that doesn’t work as well as expected (better known as Orca) but will work perfectly in a larger version (Mammoth)”.
“I am urged to convince my friends to join the project. The answers are scarce and full of PR chatter. Climeworks’ operations look like a scam and talk like one. But is it a scam? I don’t know. I think it could work, but the company’s answers are so opaque that it’s hard to say”, he continues.
He will not know for sure until 2027 whether Climeworks has actually captured the 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide he has paid for.
Millions from the US
It is also worth noting that the company has received or been promised around $800 million in public subsidies, including $625 million from the US Department of Energy and $5 million from Switzerland. Despite this, the cost per ton of CO₂ captured remains at $1,000 – ten times higher than the original target.
Due to the failures of DAC, Climeworks has now instead begun to focus on “enhanced weathering”, a highly controversial method in which crushed rock is bound with CO₂. However, researchers believe that this is a sign of desperation to fulfill credits that have already been sold.
In summary, critics point out that Climeworks’ operations have been characterized by exaggerated promises, technical shortcomings, and financial irresponsibility since its inception. Despite being ranked as one of the world’s leading green tech companies by Time Magazine, its contribution to climate action is described as marginal at best – and at worst as directly counterproductive and harmful.
Asian lions have seen a strong resurgence in India in recent years. A new count shows that the population has increased by over 30 percent in just five years.
The number of Asian lions in the state of Gujarat in western India has risen from 674 individuals in 2020 to 891, according to the latest official count (May 10–13, 2025), reports The Independent. This represents an increase of 32 percent.
The lions live mainly in and around Gir National Park – the only area in the world where this subspecies of lion exists in the wild.
The new figure was recently announced by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
– The number of lions in the state has gradually increased not just because of favorable geography and climate, but due to our government’s consistent and careful approach to wildlife conservation, said Patel.
This morning, on #WorldWildlifeDay, I went on a Safari in Gir, which, as we all know, is home to the majestic Asiatic Lion. Coming to Gir also brings back many memories of the work we collectively did when I was serving as Gujarat CM. In the last many years, collective efforts… pic.twitter.com/S8XMmn2zN7
Over the past decade, the population has grown steadily, and lions have now spread to eleven districts in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, where they can be observed in forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, and even coastal areas.
Of the 891 individuals, 196 are adult males, 330 are adult females, 140 are young adults (sub-adults), and 225 are cubs, according to state government figures.
Gujarat attributes the success to several efforts: regular monitoring, enhanced veterinary care, water and feed resources in the wild, and programs to reduce conflicts between humans and predators.
Drones, sensors, and camera traps are also used in an extensive monitoring network.
Vulnerability remains
Despite the increase, however, the lions remain vulnerable. The species is classified as vulnerable on the international red list, and threats include genetic inbreeding, diseases that can spread rapidly in the densely concentrated population, and fires and floods in the Gir Forest.
Sanjeev Kumar, Chief Secretary for Forest and Environment in Gujarat, explains.
– The holding capacity of national park and sanctuaries will be increased by intervention and habitat improvement. There is still scope of increasing the holding capacity and the forest and environment department is working in that direction.
Gujarat has previously opposed proposals to transplant parts of the population to other parts of India, including the state of Madhya Pradesh, which has led to debate within the country’s environmental movement.
Asian lions (Panthera leo persica) are genetically and physically distinct from their African relatives. They are slightly smaller in size, have shorter manes in males, and live in smaller prides.
Location: Located in the state of Gujarat, western India
Established: 1965 (as a national park; the reserve was established earlier, in 1913)
Area: Approximately 1,412 square kilometers (including the national park and adjacent wildlife sanctuary)
Purpose: To preserve the last wild population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica)
Ecosystem: Dry deciduous forest, savannah, and scrub forest with semi-desert elements
Animal species: In addition to Asiatic lions, there are leopards, spotted hyenas, Indian crocodiles (mugger crocodiles), axis deer (chital), sambar deer, and over 300 bird species
Threats: Forest fires, drought, genetic inbreeding, disease, and human impact such as habitat loss and conflicts with humans
Antarctica has long been associated with melting ice – but between 2021 and 2023, new research shows unexpected growth.
Using NASA satellite data, researchers from Tongji University in China measured Antarctic ice masses between 2002 and 2023, focusing mainly on four East Antarctic glacier areas – Denman, Moscow, Totten and Vincennes Bay – located in the Wilkes Land-Queen Mary Land area.
Over the period 2002-2010, the ice mass in Antarctica decreased by an average of 74 gigatons per year, the results, presented in Science China Earth Sciences, show. Furthermore, the ice mass decreased further between 2011 and 2020, with the loss reaching 142 gigatons per year. This has contributed to a sharp rise in sea levels.
Despite the significant decrease, the trend reversed dramatically between 2021 and 2023, when the ice mass increased by an average of 108 gigatonnes per year. The main reason is believed to be that the area had high precipitation compared to previous years. This has contributed to an average increase in sea levels of 0.3 millimeters per year.
The researchers emphasize that the increase may be a temporary trend and does not necessarily mean that ice masses will continue to increase.
