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Traditional owners and environmental groups criticise issuing of permit on area of Yorke Peninsula leased to a farmer

South Australian authorities have been criticised by traditional owners and environmental groups for issuing a permit for the culling of southern hairy-nosed wombats on the Yorke Peninsula.

The permit was issued for Aboriginal Lands Trust lands at Point Pearce, which are leased to a farmer, under laws that allow for the culling of “abundant wildlife” that is “causing damage”.

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Stakeholders requested a variety of changes to the US Transportation and Climate’s Initiative (TCI) draft Memorandum of Understand (MOU) to better align the proposed regional fuel sector ETS with existing North American carbon markets and improve environmental integrity and equity, according to public comments.

A new study has reported the world will lose almost half of its valuable sandy beaches by 2100 as sea levels rise. But cutting our emissions could keep some intact. John Church, Chair Professor, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The lifting of a destructive ban on new onshore wind power is a breath of fresh air

The government’s decision to overturn an effective five-year-old ban on new onshore wind power generation is hugely welcome. Wind provides the cheapest energy, with the first subsidy-free contracts for offshore projects awarded last year. Onshore wind is even cheaper. It is also popular, scoring above other infrastructure (including roads and railway stations) in opinion polls despite the efforts of climate denialists to portray it as a public nuisance. Most importantly, it is renewable and very low-carbon. Unlike oil, gas and coal, wind does not produce greenhouse gases (apart from in the initial phase of manufacturing and installation) and is not something we can run out of. Unlike nuclear, it does not produce toxic waste as a byproduct.

The government’s climate advisers say that onshore wind power capacity will need to triple in 15 years if the UK is to meet the target of net-zero emissions by 2050. This is a huge challenge, and forms just one part of an even bigger one. The good news is that the UK’s wind sector is already – and despite David Cameron’s foolish decision to stymie it – a world-beating one. While the solar power industry was seriously damaged by the removal of subsidies, with domestic installations collapsing after the withdrawal of feed-in tariffs, wind companies were able to shift resources and expertise offshore.

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An estimated 4m small cetaceans caught as by-catch in commercial tuna fishing nets since 1950, researchers say

Dolphin numbers in the Indian Ocean may have dropped by more than 80% in recent decades, with an estimated 4m small cetaceans caught as “by-catch” in commercial tuna fishing nets since 1950, according to a study.

As many as 100,000 cetaceans – mainly dolphins – were caught in commercial gill nets as by-catch in 2006, with current annual numbers at about 80,000.

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Researchers have discovered an unusual ultra-massive snowman-shaped star with an atmospheric composition never seen before.

UK on course to lose a quarter of its sandy coast because of human-driven erosion

Almost half of the world’s sandy beaches will have retreated significantly by the end of the century as a result of climate-driven coastal flooding and human interference, according to new research.

The sand erosion will endanger wildlife and could inflict a heavy toll on coastal settlements that will no longer have buffer zones to protect them from rising sea levels and storm surges. In addition, measures by governments to mitigate against the damage are predicted to become increasingly expensive and in some cases unsustainable.

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The Director will be responsible for developing, supporting, and executing the Network’s activities. They will work closely with other members of the GGON secretariat, working groups and members to drive a variety of cross-organizational campaigns and initiatives to advance network objectives.

The cheapest form of new power in the UK - onshore wind - is to make a comeback.

The candidate will work under the direction of the Climate, Energy, and Environment Department’s Vice President and Managing Director to analyze and research key international climate policies and trends, as well as to undertake in-depth research to develop new connections and insights.

The Climate Litigation Network (CLN), a project of the Urgenda Foundation, is looking for a Legal Associate to support its work on international climate change litigation, starting immediately.

IETA is recruiting for the position of Interim ICROA Programme Director in its Geneva office. This role will contribute to the strategic success of IETA’s programmes including policy work, research, communications, operations and events.

EUAs sank back from an early move above €24 on Monday, as a weaker auction outweighed positive signs from across financial markets amid prospects for stimulus measures to counter the economic impact of Covid-19 coronavirus.

NGOs express disappointment with ambition of UN talks on global nature agreement

Wealthy nations could be asked to make significant financial contributions to biodiverse countries such as Brazil under proposals put forward during talks on a global agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity decline.

Paying countries with life-sustaining ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest billions of pounds a year for the services those ecosystems provide for the world was proposed during negotiations on a Paris-style UN agreement on nature in Rome last week.

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Group of ageing beluga whales and orcas from marine entertainment parks will live out their post-showbiz days in a sheltered bay off Canada

More than 300 beluga whales and 60 orcas remain captive in aquariums around the world, with recent films such as Blackfish highlighting the ethics of breeding them for entertainment.

The stress can be even more dire for ageing whales that are no longer able to perform for audiences but remain doomed to live out their days in captivity.

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A new tiny computer injected into the body could help millions of people suffering from heart failure.

We thought maybe the quolls had eaten them. But the other night I saw these typically shy bandicoots and they WERE TOTALLY DOING IT

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Preparations for Glasgow summit already hampered by travel restrictions

Concern is growing among campaigners that vital UN climate talks will be derailed by the coronavirus outbreak, while government officials are working to find ways round the problem.

This year’s UN talks on the climate are the most important since the Paris agreement in 2015, as the world is now far adrift of the Paris goals and the Cop26 summit – scheduled for Glasgow this November – is seen as one of the last chances to put nations back on track to avoid climate breakdown.

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South Australia again disconnected from the rest of the National Electricity Market, as another issue hits the Heywood interconnector.

The post South Australia separates from NEM, again, as interconnector troubles return appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Throughout February German renewables regularly provided around 60% or more of the country’s electricity production – including more than a dozen days around or above 70%.

The post Germany hits record 61 per cent renewables for month of February appeared first on RenewEconomy.