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Critics ask if some appointees to the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee have a potential conflict of interest

The Morrison government has quietly appointed fossil fuel industry leaders and a controversial economist to a committee responsible for ensuring the integrity of projects that get climate funding.

Critics have raised concerns about whether some appointees to the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee may have a potential conflict of interest that could leave its decisions open to legal challenge.

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In April of last year, Australians stopped spending – but where some label current highs in consumption as ‘recovery’, Sarah Wilson sees a cult

This week I found myself thinking back to early-Covid. The globe had been suspended in an eerie pause and many of us were given the most unique of opportunities: time and space to have a good, hard look at ourselves and what mattered.

Do you remember what we did? We stopped consuming. And we really rather loved it.

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These positions are exciting roles in a growing team. While the evolving nature of the team’s work means that exact allocations may change, the individual can expect to lead on key policy issues like decarbonising buildings, businesses and industry, including energy efficiency, heat pumps, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

Technological advances combined with tough emissions targets are bringing the end of petrol and diesel traffic into view

The prospect of a cleaner motor vehicle fleet is drawing closer. In November, the UK government announced that a ban on new petrol and diesel car sales would be brought forward to 2030. Advances in battery technology mean the tipping point at which electric vehicles become cheaper than other types, without subsidies, could come within five years. Fast-charging electric car batteries are on the horizon, with five-minute “fill up” times in sight.

This is good news for the climate, with transport emissions one of the biggest obstacles to meeting reductions targets, nationally and globally. Also welcome for the UK is the announcement by Nissan that in future it will source 62 kilowatt-hour batteries for its popular Leaf model from the factory next door to its Sunderland car plant, instead of importing them from the US.

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The Energy Community (EnC) has released a roadmap for how the EU’s Western Balkans and Eastern neighbours can implement carbon pricing schemes, with the intergovernmental organisation flagging the potential for market integration and an eventual link with the EU ETS.

Global study finds that species numbers reported in the wild fell sharply between 1990 and 2015

The number of wild bee species recorded by an international database of life on Earth has declined by a quarter since 1990, according to a global analysis of bee declines.

Researchers analysed bee records from museums, universities and citizen scientists collated by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, (GBIF) a global, government-funded network providing open-access data on biodiversity.

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Global study calls on governments to step up maintenance efforts to prevent failures, overtopping or leaks

By 2050 most people will live downstream of a large dam built in the 20th century, many of which are approaching the limits of the useful lifetime they were designed for, according to global research.

To avoid the potential for dam failures, overtopping or leaks, the dams will require increasing maintenance, and some may have to be taken out of service. Many governments have not prepared for these needs, warn the authors of a study by the United Nations University.

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Consultation comes after the birds have been successfully rewilded in other parts of the UK

A consultation has been launched to reintroduce Britain’s biggest bird of prey to Norfolk in an unprecedented rewilding move led by farmers.

Supported by other landowners in the region, a west Norfolk farm wants to release white-tailed eagles on to its coastal land, after the successful reintroduction of the birds in western Scotland and the Isle of Wight.

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Nubian ibex have been roaming the empty streets of Mitzpe Ramon as Israel’s coronavirus lockdown extends to the end of the month

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Sales increase 43% globally in 2020 as plunging battery costs mean the cars will soon be the cheapest vehicles to buy

Electric vehicles are close to the “tipping point” of rapid mass adoption thanks to the plummeting cost of batteries, experts say.

Global sales rose 43% in 2020, but even faster growth is anticipated when continuing falls in battery prices bring the price of electric cars dipping below that of equivalent petrol and diesel models, even without subsidies. The latest analyses forecast that to happen some time between 2023 and 2025.

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Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has issued almost 1.2 million new carbon credits, it said in a new year update Friday that showed four more non-performing projects have been revoked.

Environment secretary says water companies too reliant on overflows discharging pollution after storms

The environment secretary, George Eustice, has made a commitment to reducing releases of raw sewage by water companies into rivers and coastal waters. Eustice said there was “still too much reliance” by water companies on storm overflows to discharge sewage into waterways.

A government taskforce set up following growing pressure over sewage pollution in rivers announced that water companies had agreed to be more transparent about pollution discharges from storm overflows. The taskforce said it had agreed an objective to reduce the harm of sewage releases via storm overflows.

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TV presenter says government is reneging on Brexit green pledges by breaking with EU ban

Chris Packham, the naturalist and TV presenter, has accused the government of sending “shivers of fear” through Britain’s environmentalists by backtracking on green pledges since Brexit.

The wildlife expert accused the government of “irresponsible and embarrassing” practices on plastic waste, following a report by the Guardian last week that the UK would continue to ship unsorted plastic waste to developing countries, even though the EU has banned the practice since 1 January.

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The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is seeking comments on a proposal to list Bidyanus bidyanus (Silver Perch) in the Endangered category. Consultation closes on 12 March 2021.

Tasmanian government signs MoU with Woodside to support 10MW electrolyser project, to deliver blended hydrogen in main gas network.

The post Woodside signs MoU to blend Tassie mains gas with green hydrogen appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Plans to build one of Australia’s largest wind farms are back on track, after a last-ditch High Court challenge to the 800-1000MW Victorian project was put to bed.

The post Massive Golden Plains wind farm out of court and back on track, with amendments appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Princeton study says the US can reach net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and, if properly managed, it won’t break the bank.

The post Net zero America can be achieved by 2050, if not sooner, says study appeared first on RenewEconomy.

UNSW and USYD researchers say new methods for producing ammonia, key to hydrogen transport, eliminate need for high temperatures, high pressures, and fossil fuels.

The post Australian team makes green ammonia production breakthrough appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Western Australian gets 65 expressions of interest to produce and export renewable hydrogen at hub north of Geraldton – at least 10 from global corporate “super majors.”

The post Call to develop 1.5GW green hydrogen hub gets “super major” response appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.