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Campaigners say system risks becoming greenwashing exercise unless loopholes closed

The leaders of two UK environmental charities have written to Mark Carney, the UN climate envoy and former governor of the Bank of England, to raise concerns over a blueprint for carbon offsetting that could result in billions of new carbon credits being sold around the world.

Carney will present plans at the virtual Davos meeting of global business and political leaders on Wednesday evening for vast increases in the number of carbon offsets sold, aiming to expand the market from about $300m at present to between $50bn and $100bn a year.

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Tunnel was secretly constructed to prevent next phase of work on HS2 high speed rail link

The activists who secretly built a tunnel under a busy London square by Euston station have said they believe they can withstand eviction attempts and occupy it for weeks.

Despite a number of police evictions from the protest site, at least four protesters remain inside the long tunnel which was constructed in order to try to prevent the next phase of work on the HS2 high speed rail link from taking place.

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Scientists say decline in calves born in past 15 years due to diminishing herring stocks in warming north Atlantic

Humpback whales could be struggling to breed due to rapid environmental change in the ocean caused by the climate crisis, a study suggests.

Scientists have confirmed a significant decline in the number of calves born to female humpbacks over the past 15 years in the Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada, an important summer feeding ground for migrating whales. They said the climate crisis has led to rapid sea temperature and sea level rise in this area of the north Atlantic, with knock-on effects for the ecosystem that include decreasing numbers of herring, a vital food source for humpback whales.

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Environmental groups in Canada applaud decision, but country’s western provinces left in disbelief

US president Joe Biden’s move to cancel a controversial pipeline project has hit Canada like “like a gut punch”, according to one political leader, and left the country to weigh the future prospects of its ailing oil and gas industry.

On 20 January, one of Biden’s first executive orders was to reverse approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, making good on a campaign promise to kill the project as a broader strategy to address the climate crisis.

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New Zealand carbon allowances edged up in Wednesday trade to reach a new all-time high, as traders prepare for major policy and market developments in the weeks ahead.

Australian industry super investment arm, IFM Investors, is seeking out a major stake in Spanish energy giant Naturgy, worth up to $8 billion.

The post Australia’s IFM seeks major stake in Spanish energy giant appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Cross-party group sign joint letter after inquest into death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah

City mayors representing more than 17 million people across the UK are urging Boris Johnson to commit to tougher air pollution targets after the inquest into the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah.

The cross-party group, including the Labour mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Conservative mayor of the West of England combined authority, Tim Bowles, have signed a joint letter along with city leaders from Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and the North of Tyne to urge Boris Johnson to enshrine in law a commitment to achieve World Health Organization air pollution guidelines by 2030.

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These hardy animals, a third the size of a Friesian, are popular in conservation projects

Dexters are the smallest breed of cattle in Europe and among the hardiest, which makes them popular in conservation and rewilding projects. They are a third the size of a Friesian milking cow and other European commercial breeds of cattle. All these varieties go by the same Latin name, Bos taurus taurus, to distinguish them from Asiatic and African species.

Although they are now bred all over the world, dexters originated in the west of Ireland and are believed to be the domesticated cattle of the Celts. Curiously, about half have a genetic trait that gives them short legs, making them seem even smaller.

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More than a million people in 50 countries take part in the biggest poll to date on climate change.

For all the uncertainty in the world right now, you can set your watch by National Party elder Barnaby Joyce's inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims that renewable energy is behind every glitch in the national electricity market.

The post Barnaby Joyce shows why a Coalition government may never embrace climate action appeared first on RenewEconomy.

While you may have seen a lot of bees around lately, there’s no reason to be afraid. Some don't sting, and others might actually be flies. Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Tanya Latty, Associate professor, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

RWE Renewables and SkySails Power announce plans to fly 120sqm “kite” as part of three-year pilot project to evaluate airborne wind technology.

The post Massive wind power “kite” generator to be tested by Germany’s biggest utility appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Severe impacts of global warming are becoming unavoidable for Australia and have already cost tens of billions, a new Climate Council report says.

The post Australia faces $100b annual bill for climate-fuelled damage, Climate Council finds appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Two recently published pieces of research suggest the world is likely to warm more than current projections.

The post New research suggests projections of future warming may be too conservative appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Nominations are invited for species, ecological communities or key threatening processes to be considered for listing under national environment law during the assessment period starting 1 October 2021.

Major retailers led the charge into the corporate renewable PPA market last year, underpinning a record number of projects.

The post Supermarkets and telcos lead Australian corporate push into wind and solar appeared first on RenewEconomy.

International report attributes spike in deaths in Australia to ‘chance’, saying the country’s 18 unprovoked attacks in 2020 was only slightly above average

Unprovoked shark bites killed 10 people around the world in 2020 with six of the deaths in Australian waters, according to international figures.

The number of unprovoked shark bites and encounters in Australia was only slightly above average, with 18 incidents recorded by the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File (Isaf). The average over the last five years is 16.

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Despite the absurdity and mountain of adversity that was 2020, corporations around the globe purchased a record 23.7GW of clean energy.

The post Corporations purchased record 24GW of renewables in 2020 appeared first on RenewEconomy.

President Biden has cancelled the permit for the controversial US-Canada project.

Francisco Vera, 11, was threatened after calling for better access to education during the pandemic.