Environment
Sweden’s Bear Hunt Sparks Outrage As 150 Brown Bears Killed In Two Days
Sweden’s annual bear hunt has sparked controversy after more than 150 brown bears were killed in the opening days, with conservationists decrying the “pure slaughter”. The government issued 486 licenses to shoot bears, equivalent to 20% of the remaining population, following a record-breaking cull of 722 bears last year.
By Thursday afternoon, the second day of the hunt, 152 bears had already been shot, according to Sweden’s Environmental Protection Agency. The hunt has become a focus of growing controversy, with police accompanying hunters for the first time amid concerns of local protests.
Magnus Orrebrant, chair of the Swedish Carnivore Association, a pro-wildlife advocacy group, said: “Modern hunting methods make it extremely easy to kill a bear – one could liken it to pure slaughter.”
Police officers have been patrolling the forests on foot and with drones to ensure the “hunters’ peaceful progress” amid concerns that the increased licenses could provoke protests. “We have deemed it necessary to ensure that there is no interference with the hunters doing their job during this year’s bear hunt,” said Joacim Lundqvist, a police officer and wildlife coordinator for the north of Sweden.
Bears were hunted almost to extinction in Sweden a century ago, but numbers recovered to a peak of 3,300 in 2008. In the years since, the culls have cut bear numbers by 40% to about 2,400. If they continue at a similar rate, next year’s cull will bring numbers close to the minimum 1,400 bears considered necessary to maintain a viable population by the Swedish government.
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Over the past two years, Sweden has culled hundreds of wolves, lynxes, and bears, with last year’s hunts breaking modern records for the number of animals killed. In 2023, the country held the largest wolf hunt in modern times, aiming to cull 75 of an endangered population of just 460 wolves.
Ecologists are concerned that if they continue, the hunts may have repercussions across the region. Earlier this month, Norwegian environmental groups appealed to Swedish authorities in some border regions to turn down the licenses to kill the bears, arguing that they threatened the brown bear population in both countries. Their appeal was denied.
Truls Gulowsen, head of the Norwegian Nature Conservation Organisation, said they were “very concerned with this culling”. He said: “It’s a significant and quite dramatic reduction of the Scandinavian brown bear population. Now that Sweden is seriously decreasing its stock, it will impact the survivability of the entire Scandinavian population.”
Jonas Kindberg, of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and the lead scientist for the Scandinavian Bear Project, said: “If you want the population to remain stable at around the 2,400 animals as we estimate today, you can only shoot about 250 bears annually.”
Brown bears are a “strictly protected species” in Europe, and conservationists argue that the high hunting quotas could breach the EU habitat directive, which prohibits “deliberate hunting or killing of strictly protected species”. Under EU rules, this prohibition can only be lifted as a “last resort” to protect public safety, crops, or natural flora and fauna.
Magnus Rydholm, communications director for the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, said the brown bear was not typically dangerous to people. “No, it’s not,” he said. “It is mostly interested in blueberries. Of course, if it’s provoked it can become dangerous.”
As the hunt continues, concerns mount over the future of Sweden’s brown bear population and the potential consequences of the government’s actions
Morocco has emerged as one of North Africa’s most climate-vulnerable countries, according to the World Meteorological Organisation’s 2024 “State of the Climate in Africa” report.
The kingdom faces escalating threats, including prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and flash floods that have caused heavy human and material losses.
Environmental expert, Mostapha Aissat, described recent climate events in Morocco as “unprecedented in the country’s history,” citing seven consecutive years of drought and destructive floods across the south and southeast.
The 2022 wildfires that devoured over 20,000 hectares of forest, severely impacting biodiversity and agriculture, are a stark reminder of the country’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
Aissat warned that two global indicators suggest worsening conditions: global warming and the continued failure of major polluting nations to halve CO₂ emissions by 2030, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
He also noted the rising risk of natural disasters beyond climate change, such as earthquakes, referencing Morocco’s 2023 Al Haouz quake.
Climate expert, Ali Cherroud, added that Morocco’s geography, from mountains to coasts to deserts, makes it uniquely exposed to a wide spectrum of seasonal and non-seasonal disasters.
The country’s position at the intersection of cold, humid northern currents and hot, dry southern flows intensifies its susceptibility to extremes.
Cherroud welcomed the newly announced National Natural Disaster Centre in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, calling it a “proactive shift” in disaster management and urging its replication across Morocco.
He emphasized the need for a national roadmap based on early warning, rapid response, and risk forecasting to shield lives and assets.
With converging international assessments and on-the-ground observations, experts say climate preparedness is no longer optional – it is Morocco’s new strategic imperative.
The country must take a proactive approach to disaster management, investing in early warning systems, rapid response mechanisms, and risk forecasting to mitigate the impacts of climate-related disasters.
In a bid to reduce the country’s planet-warming emissions, the UK government has announced a £180 million investment in solar panels for hundreds of schools and hospitals across the country.
This move is part of the government’s efforts to achieve its long-term climate goals and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The investment, which is the first major project from Great British Energy, the government’s new state owned energy company, is expected to provide solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals.
This will not only help reduce energy bills but also cut carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
According to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, “Great British Energy’s first major project will be to help our vital public institutions save hundreds of millions on bills to reinvest on the frontline.”
He added that the project will help reduce the financial pressure of energy bills on schools and hospitals.
The announcement has been welcomed by schools, unions, and NHS estate managers, who have long been advocating for measures to reduce energy costs.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said that the investment is a “step in the right direction” and will help schools manage energy bills, which have been a significant financial burden in recent years.
However, not everyone is optimistic about the investment.
Andrew Bowie, shadow energy secretary, argued that the government’s net zero plans will make the country “poorer.”
He claimed that the investment will lead to increased reliance on foreign powers like Russia.
In contrast, energy experts believe that investing in renewable energy will reduce the UK’s reliance on imports.
Jess Ralston, energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said that the investment in solar panels will improve energy security and reduce the amount of gas imported from countries like Russia.
The first solar panels are expected to be installed by the end of the summer, with a focus on areas of “highest need.”
Hurricane Milton ravaged Florida with fierce winds, flooding, and tornadoes, leaving 16 dead and millions without power. Communities face widespread destruction, as stories of survival and rescue emerge, including daring evacuations and rebuilding efforts. As officials warn against disaster sightseeing, residents and authorities focus on recovery. The storm highlights the urgent need for climate action and preparedness, as Floridians confront the realities of living in a storm-prone state.
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