The amount of sea ice left at the end of the Arctic summer shrank to the second lowest level since records began in 1979. The low point was reached on 10 September 2016, when sea ice covered 4.14 million square kilometres (1.6m sq miles). The lowest level ever recorded was in 2012, when Arctic sea ice covered just 3.39 million square kilometres.
The French government has passed a new law making it compulsory for all disposable plastic cups, cutlery, and plates to be made from compostable material. The law is due to come into effect in 2020.
On 15 September 2016, after a seven week delay to review security concerns, UK Prime Minister Theresa May gave Hinkley Point C, the UK's first new nuclear plant for a generation the go-ahead. Hinkley C, on the north Somerset coast, is being jointly financed by France's EDF, which is investing £12bn and China General Nuclear (CGN), which is investing £6bn.
The Met Office has confirmed that temperatures of 32.8ºC (91ºF) have been recorded today at both Kew Gardens and Heathrow Airport, while Gravesend in Kent the temperature has reached 34.4ºC (93.9ºF).
Yesterday, the Working Group on the Anthropocene (WGA), made up of 35 of experts from around the world proposed that a new geologocal epoch - the Athropocene - needs to be declared. The scientists made their recommendation to the International Geological Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.
The UK's Environmental Audit Committee has called for microplastics to be banned from being used in products like facial scrubs and toothpastes because of the pollution they are causing in the world's oceans.
Young people aged 8-18 will soon have the opportunity to show how much they care about our environment by taking part in the Young People's Green Awards.
There are millions of different kinds of living things on planet Earth from mammals and trees through to bacteria and other micro-organisms. Classification helps us make sense of what they are and how they relate to each other.