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California gasoline usage increased for the second consecutive month in April, as consumer demand continues to skew back towards pre-COVID levels amid fewer state-level restrictions, according to state data released this week.

China is on track to see its installed capacity of non-fossil power generation surpass its coal capacity at the end of 2021 for the first time, a report said, while a separate publication showed the country did not fund any new coal-fired power plants through the Belt and Road Initiative in H1, also a first.

From strengthening flood defences to creating low-traffic neighbourhoods, our city is taking bold action

• Sadiq Khan is the mayor of London

Too often, we in the UK have thought of countries such as India and Bangladesh as being on the frontlines of the climate crisis. But the serious flooding in London over the weekend and in the last month – coupled with the extreme weather we’ve seen in other parts of the UK over recent years – shows the realities of climate change are no longer a distant problem, but one that is increasingly reaching our own doorsteps.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen homes, businesses and tube stations inundated with floodwater in our city. And while it’s been inspiring to see communities pull together, and local authorities and emergency services reacting quickly to support those in need, the truth is that freak weather events – like the ones we’ve been experiencing here in London and around the world – should be a wake-up call, spurring us all to take much more ambitious climate action.

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Germany-based utility RWE, historically the EU’s top corporate emitter, reported a 39% jump in its ETS-covered thermal power output for H1 2021 as demand rebounded following coronavirus restrictions.

EUAs drifted slightly despite firmer natural gas prices, as Russian state producer Gazprom declined yet again to book additional gas transit capacity through the Ukrainian network.

Australia's biggest battery is ready to begin production with its Tesla Megapacks, but Elon Musk has warned of looming supply crunch.

The post Australia’s biggest battery registered, but battery storage supply crunch looms appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Two leading energy experts slam a survey by an industry-funded consumer body on the "solar tax", saying respondents were misled.

The post Solar tax survey slammed by energy experts for “misleading” consumers appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The federal government will fund 20 microgrid projects, to boost strength of regional grids during natural disasters and increase renewables use.

The post Twenty micro-grid projects get funding, including communities hit by bushfires appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australian researchers achieve new efficiency milestones for next generation perovskite solar cells, turning to a common dietary supplement.

The post Australian researchers use dietary supplement to boost next-gen solar cells appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Two large-scale solar and battery storage projects proposed for Victoria’s Gippsland region underwritten by a “landmark joint venture.”

The post CEFC, Octopus join forces to deliver Gippsland solar and big battery projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Rooftop solar exports are subsidising others, and we should stop treating this technology as if they were big fossil fuel generators.

The post The “Solar Tax:” Are we having the wrong debate? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

As lion populations decline across much of Africa, could community-led conservation help reverse this trend?

Ministers from more than 50 countries will continue talks on key issues, including Article 6 international emissions trade, through to November’s COP26 UN climate summit, UK minister Alok Sharma said on Monday following an inconclusive two-day informal ministerial meeting in London.

A new joint venture is planning to launch a certification system for carbon removals, with the aim of addressing issues regarding transparency and trust that have affected the existing voluntary emissions reduction (VER) market.

Irish-based airline Ryanair revealed it has extensively covered its EU ETS buying requirements for the coming years, even as it raised its forecast for flight traffic in quarterly results on Monday.

Voluntary carbon market prices for nature- and non-nature-based credits rose once again this week, as project developers began shifting back to spot voluntary emissions reduction (VER) deals rather than forward contracts.

Alok Sharma ‘disappointed’ after ministers from more than 50 countries closed two-day meeting without full agreement

Governments around the world must agree to end the use of coal power to avoid the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the UK’s president of vital UN climate talks has said.

Ministers from more than 50 countries closed a two-day meeting in London on Monday without full agreement on phasing out coal, but with all countries agreeing to limit global heating to 1.5C, with fewer than 100 days to go before the Cop26 UN climate conference in Glasgow this November.

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Trading house Hartree Partners has struck a deal that could treble the REDD credits generated by established developer Wildlife Works within four years.

The billionaire offers to pay $2bn in Nasa costs to be reconsidered for a key Moon lander contract.