For some, today will be your last working day of the year.  So here are 12 RSPB highlights from 2015.  

The list below illustrates the impact we have had in pursuit of our mission to inspire a world richer in nature.  It reflects the extraordinary work done by our staff and volunteers in partnership with a huge range of other organisations.  I salute you all.

If today is the day that you are switching off, have a great…

As I was waiting to give evidence to the Environmental Audit Select Committee today (session curtailed due to ‘events’ – rematch scheduled for new year), we received some very good news and some bad news.

First the good news...

...UK Environment Minister, Rory Stewart, at a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels said, “the UK like many other Member States around this table does not wish to renegotiate…

In the run up to Christmas, I am determined to you bring you glad tidings of comfort and joy.  So, today, I am delighted to welcome my colleague, Sacha Cleminson, who lives and works on one of the UK Overseas Territories far, far away to offer this perspective on the state of UK wildlife on these majestic islands. 

Montserrat’s new environment legislation designates the beautiful Centre Hills National Park, helping…

For much of Saturday afternoon, I was fearful that there would be a last minute hitch and that the climate deal would be scuppered.  The failure of Copenhagen lives long in the memory and we have all suffered from false expectations.  Yet, the only surprise on Saturday was that there were no eleventh hour surprises.  The Paris Agreement was supported by 196 countries and it promises a future free from catastrophic climate…

At 18.27 GMT, a global climate change deal was agreed.  It appears that world leaders have pulled us back from the abyss by striking a good deal to avoid catastrophic climate change.  Here, in his final postcard from Paris, the RSPB's Principal Climate Change Advisor, John Lanchbery, offers his verdict on the deal.

------------------
Au revoir Paris by John Lanchbery

This afternoon in Paris, 196 nations concluded a new…

On Wednesday, at the Sustainable Severn Event,  an excellent talk by Martyn Evans from Natural Resources Wales reminded me of the fundamental shift that is taking place across the border.  I think we, in England, have a lot to learn from how the Welsh Government is shaking up the policy and regulatory framework.  As the Westminster Government continues to scope its 25 year plan for nature, I would encourage those involved…

As the rain continues to fall, I have invited RSPB Cumbria Area Manager, Bill Kenmir, to offer his perspective on the floods that have hit the north west of England.

I live in Kendal and saw at first hand a relatively small part of the tragedy in Cumbria as it unfolded over the weekend. The relentlessness of the rainfall, the river Kent growing in anger and ferocity as it thundered its way through the town, eventually…

The tone of the debate at today's conference on the future of the Severn Estuary (which I profiled in this morning's blog) was, as expected, very different to when I  was previously involved in discussions about Severn tidal power.  While many of the faces in the room were similar, there was genuine mutual respect and understanding of the need to harness the tidal power of the estuary in harmony with nature.  

I am in Bristol today participating in an event to discuss the development of energy projects in the Severn estuary (see here).  It seems entirely appropriate that this meeting coincides with the final week of the global climate change talks in Paris.   We need lots of renewable energy to wean ourselves off fossil fuels and avoid catastrophic climate change.

The prize of generating large amounts of electricity from the…

At this time of year you need to pay attention or you may miss some important developments.  Here are five things to keep an eye on...

1. As the draft text of a climate agreement emerges in Paris, there is cautious optimism that a good deal could be struck (see here)

2. In the wake of Storm Desmond and the latest floods to hit the north west of England, the Prime Minister has said that while the priority must be on helping…

Our man at the crucial climate change talks, John Lanchbery, has sent this latest postcard from Paris.  

Saturday dawned bright and sunny in Paris - marking half-time in the global climate talks.

I had breakfast with two RSPB colleagues who arrived last night and were off to Forests Day to showcase our work on tropical forests (see yesterday's blog here), together with a colleague from BirdLife. I set out first on…

The RSPB works in some amazing places in the UK. But as the world’s climate negotiators are meeting in Paris to try to reach agreement on how to tackle climate change, it is timely to also remember the key role of tropical forest conservation in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and how the work of the RSPB and the Birdlife partnership is helping reduce carbon emissions and protect wildlife and people.

We've had a flurry of reports about the state of birds at a global, European and UK level recently.  Today sees the launch of another: Birds of Conservation Concern 4 (BoCC4).  This provides new Red, Amber and Green lists for the bird species that occur regularly in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.  This is probably the most important report of all as it gives a clear steer as to where we should be investing…