Around The Web

Three tourists boiled dinner in national park, leading to fines, a ban and some apt puns

When it comes to unthinking human behavior in America’s premier nature preserve, the retired Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey can reel off the examples.

There is the tourist who took a selfie in front of a bison only to be tossed in the air by it. There is the drone that crashed into bubbling park waters. And then there’s the latest story, which has driven him both to vexation and to punning.

Continue reading...

Exclusive: report warns of ‘yawning gap’ between government rhetoric on environment and reality of years of underfunding

The government’s conservation watchdog has been “cut to the bone”, with staff underpaid, undervalued and overworked and feeling unable to protect England’s most valuable wildlife sites, according to a new report and testimony from workers.

Natural England, which is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has a range of responsibilities, including monitoring and protecting the country’s most valuable habitats such as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and national nature reserves (NNRs). It also works with farmers to protect biodiversity and advises the government on environmental policy, planning and licensing.

Continue reading...

Grants are now available for projects that strengthen our national heritage. All places on the National Heritage List are eligible to apply until 7 January 2021. To find out more, visit the Business Grants Hub.

Exclusive: Gap between actions and beliefs threatens green recovery from pandemic

• Coronavirus – latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

People are planning to drive and fly more in future than they did before the coronavirus pandemic, a survey suggests, even though the overwhelming majority accept human responsibility for the climate crisis.

The apparent disconnect between beliefs and actions raises fears that without strong political intervention, these actions could undermine efforts to meet the targets set in the Paris agreement and hopes of a green recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

Continue reading...

Frustrated by postponement of UN talks, young people have organised their own virtual conference

Like many young climate activists around the world, 14-year-old Lavinia Iovino was exasperated when Cop26, the annual UN climate summit due to take place in Glasgow in November, was postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was very disappointed because it showed that political leaders think we can give ourselves a year more, when we just can’t do that; the climate crisis is happening right now,” she said.

Continue reading...

International Energy Agency expects green electricity to end coal’s 50-year reign by 2025

• Coronavirus – latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Global renewable electricity installation will hit a record level in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency, in sharp contrast with the declines caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the fossil fuel sectors.

The IEA report published on Tuesday says almost 90% of new electricity generation in 2020 will be renewable, with just 10% powered by gas and coal. The trend puts green electricity on track to become the largest power source in 2025, displacing coal, which has dominated for the past 50 years.

Continue reading...

If all, or even most, offspring of the survivors are shy, we could be facing an introduced pest population that is incredibly difficult to remove. Kyla Johnstone, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Clare McArthur, Professor, University of Sydney Peter Banks, Professor of Conservation Biology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Pilot Energy enters JV deal with fellow Perth resources outfit Triangle Energy to further plans for a 1,100MW offshore wind farm, plus onshore wind and solar.

The post Oil companies join forces on 1.1GW offshore wind farm plan for W.A. appeared first on RenewEconomy.

People tend to interpret things through a lens of their pre-existing beliefs. But they are not immune to changing their view, if you treat them with respect and understanding. Peter Ellerton, Senior Lecturer in Critical Thinking; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research involving CRISPR technology has furthered our understanding of corals' gene functions. Specifically, it has revealed a mechanism underpinning how corals withstand heat stress. Dimitri Perrin, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Jacob Bradford, Queensland University of Technology Line K Bay, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader, Australian Institute of Marine Science Phillip Cleves, Principal Investigator, Carnegie Institution for Science Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The fossil from a large-toothed species helps shed more light on how humans evolved, researchers say.

On cue, the Coalition has deployed its favourite scare tactic in response to new global pressure on emissions – and even recruited some new muscle.

The post Australia’s carbon cabal digs in for fight against zero emissions targets appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

With wind and solar now the cheapest sources of energy, Australia would benefit from a switch to 100% renewables, with gas not needed as transition fuel.

The post Australia will benefit from shift to zero emissions, with no gas required appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Climate policy experts say Australia needs to set a more ambitious 2030 climate commitment to reach a carbon neutral economy

Australia could become a carbon neutral economy by 2050 thanks to an abundance of cheap solar and wind energy but will need a more ambitious 2030 climate target to get there, according to a report from international climate policy experts.

A path to net zero emissions is technically and economically feasible for Australia, the report says, and would align the country with the Paris climate agreement it signed in 2016.

Continue reading...

What will a Joe Biden presidency mean for the global battle against rising temperatures?

Key Model 3 and Model Y sightings, along with imminent expansion into Singapore, signal changes are afoot for Tesla in Asia Pacific region.

The post China-made Tesla Model 3 in RHD and Model Y spotted appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The NSW government has hit on a magic formula for climate policy, but a dive into the details of its plans show there is more to be done.

The post NSW renewables plan marks a major new moment for climate action in Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The projected presidential victory of Democratic nominee Joe Biden this weekend opens the door for the US government to take swift action on domestic and global climate policy during the first days of his administration, although a potentially divided Congress could stifle some of the progress necessary to achieve rapid and deep decarbonisation.  

California Carbon Offset (CCO) market stakeholders threw their weight behind a committee report released last month that would reduce offset invalidation periods and allow regulated entities to trade compliance limits, though environmental justice (EJ) organisations called for the state to suspend the credit programme pending a further review, according to public comments.