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Australian startup that has developed world-first acoustic listening device for monitoring the health of wind turbines has raised AU$850,000 to support commercialisation.

The post Funding windfall for Ping Monitor windfarm listening device appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Charity accuses government agencies of ignoring ‘rampant’ rule-breaking in industry, and encourages whistleblowers

A website for whistleblowers to expose illegal or unethical practices in the fishing industry has been launched by a charity campaigning to end overfishing in European Union waters.

“Fishyleaks” has been set up by Our Fish to provide an anonymous and secure way for people working in the industry, enforcement bodies and others to shine a light on bad practice.

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Radical change needed to make UK food and farming system sustainable within 10 years

The true cost of cheap, unhealthy food is a spiralling public health crisis and environmental destruction, according to a high-level commission. It said the UK’s food and farming system must be radically transformed and become sustainable within 10 years.

The commission’s report, which was welcomed by the environment secretary, Michael Gove, concluded that farmers must be enabled to shift from intensive farming to more organic and wildlife friendly production, raising livestock on grass and growing more nuts and pulses. It also said a National Nature Service should be created to give opportunities for young people to work in the countryside and, for example, tackle the climate crisis by planting trees or restoring peatlands.

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Anti-renewables advocate Maurice Newman revives some outdated myths about wind farms as he fights the Crookwell 3 development near one of his properties.

The post Abbott era advisor re-emerges to oppose Crookwell wind farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New Zealand’s government has reached an agreement with farmers to price the sector’s carbon emissions starting in 2025.

Wind and solar are lowering wholesale electricity prices by at least $11/MWh, but storage is needed to remove the upward pressure on prices from expensive gas generators.

The post Wind and solar cut rather than boost Australia’s wholesale electricity prices appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Walcha Energy is delighted to welcome Dan Muller as Development Manager for the Walcha Energy Project.

The post Dan Muller joins Walcha Energy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Millions displaced in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, with Assam and Bihar among the worst-hit regions

Floods have forced millions of people from their homes across India, Nepal and Bangladesh and killed more than 100 people as torrential rains in the initial days of monsoons wreaked havoc.

The poor Indian states of Assam and Bihar have been among the worst hit. Some 4.3 million people have been displaced from their homes in Assam in the last 10 days due to rising waters across the mostly rural northeastern region, according to a government release on Monday.

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The Extinction Rebellion group is holding climate protests across the UK.

A House of Lords inquiry looked at the impact of the ban on fishing discards six months on.

Committee urges action over flame retardants found in breast milk and umbilical cords

Britons are being exposed to a “cocktail of chemicals” from the womb onwards, with potentially life-threatening consequences, MPs have warned.

Ministers were accused of “sitting on their hands” while “unnecessary and potentially toxic” chemicals continued to enter people’s homes.

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

Allocations of free carbon allowances to new and expanding companies in the EU ETS dipped slightly in the first half of 2019, with some 65% of the earmarked permits still unused as the clock ticks down on tapping the reserve.

The focus for the Originator will be carbon origination and, in particular, offsets from Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). These are recognized as the largest, fastest, and lowest cost opportunity to deliver material carbon offsets by both reducing emissions from deforestation and creating carbon sinks.

Massachusetts will auction off allowances across two vintage years in December for its state-wide Global Warming Solutions Action (GWSA) programme, while the 21 regulated facilities have seen emissions drop through the first quarter.

Greek utility PPC failed to attract any bids for three of its lignite assets by a Monday deadline, as bidders preferred to wait for the new government’s rescue package.

An eight year study of half hourly prices finds that wind and solar generation have been pushing wholesale electricity prices down. Zsuzsanna Csereklyei, Lecturer in Economics, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The endangered Australasian bittern offers a way past the 'farmers vs environmentalist' debate in the Murray-Darling basin. Matt Herring, PhD Candidate, Charles Darwin University Kerstin Zander, Associate professor, Charles Darwin University Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Wayne A. Robinson, post doctoral research fellow, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The man who allegedly killed Suzanne Eaton was reported to be a father of two from the Greek island.

Quebec's retirement of 1.8 million V17 carbon allowances last week will shorten the duration over which its remaining unsold permits will return to quarterly auctions in the WCI cap-and-trade programme, according to Carbon Pulse analysis.