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Massachusetts electricity generators reduced emissions under the Global Warming Solution Act (GWSA) programme in 2019 as a result of milder weather and increased imports, but allowance prices still remained high due to illiquid conditions, a new report showed.

The European Commission will propose next year a new initiative to compensate farmers and foresters for CO2 emissions sequestration, opening the door to including market-based measures.

EUAs climbed 5% to top €21 early on Wednesday, further extending their May high as prices leapt once the market had absorbed Poland's large auction, the last sale for several days in a supply-starved holiday period.

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has released a draft mechanism for clean energy consumption that would expand its power market reform, an announcement coming days before the annual National People’s Congress meets to address COVID-19 recovery and the next 5-year plan.

In the short term, the answer for North Queensland might be doing more of the same, but swapping the coal out for renewable energy and redeploying the coal work force.

The post Powering North Queensland: How to swap coal for renewables in LNP heartland appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New strategy to protect nature includes far-reaching habitat protections, and restrictions on pesticide use – but campaigners warn enforcement is key

The European Commission has committed to protecting 30% of the EU’s land and oceans by 2030 as part of the European Green Deal, in a plan tentatively welcomed by environment groups who warned far-reaching ambitions must not only exist “on paper”.

The 10-year plan, published on Wednesday, includes commitments to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 50%, plant 3bn trees by 2030 and reverse the decline in pollinators. Within the 30% protected areas, a third of land and sea will be under “strict protection”, meaning there should be no human intervention besides minimal management to keep the area in good condition for wildlife.

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Doug Loverro steps down the week before the US's first crewed launch to orbit in almost a decade.

UK scientists create the first wide-area maps of microscopic algae growing in coastal Antarctica.

Under the leadership of William Perry Pendley, the Bureau of Land Management is failing to fulfill its most basic duties of safeguarding America’s public lands, his critics say

In July 2017, William Perry Pendley, a crusading conservative attorney, delivered a speech to a group of rightwing activists in North Carolina in which he was completely candid about his ideological commitments.

He accused “the media” of selling “their soul to the greens”. And after criticizing the Endangered Species Act, he made light of killing endangered species.

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US study identifies statistically significant trend in line with climate scientists’ predictions

Tropical cyclones have become more intense around the globe in the past four decades, with more destructive storms forming more often, according to a study that further confirms the theory that warming oceans would drive more dangerous cyclones.

Analysis of satellite records from 1979 to 2017 found a clear rise in the most destructive cyclones – also known as hurricanes or typhoons – that deliver sustained winds in excess of about 185km/h.

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India-based solar contracting giant lands contracts for Australia's biggest solar project.

The post Sterling and Wilson lands EPC contract for Australia’s biggest solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Call to avoid more inequality and climate breakdown when coronavirus crisis ends

Global leaders must heed the lessons of the financial crisis of 2008 when they look to repair the damage from the coronavirus pandemic, leading experts have warned, to avoid entrenching disastrous social, health and environmental inequalities and hastening climate breakdown.

The 2008 global financial crisis and recession marked the last time the world experienced a convulsion comparable in scale to the coronavirus crisis, though starkly different in its nature. Governments responded first with economic rescue and stimulus packages worth trillions in taxpayer cash, followed in many cases by austerity programmes to cut back public spending.

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Environmental groups slam Covid Commission's recommendation for an East-West gas pipeline, saying it is a clear conflict of interest.

The post Covid Commission’s gas plans evoke outrage from environmental groups appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Changes to Australia's emissions reduction policies may do little more than channel taxpayer money to industry. Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ten years ago politicians used to talk up the virtues of gas as a transitional fuel. But that was 10 years ago

Ten years ago, when Australia’s climate and energy botch-up was still in its infancy, politicians and their advisers used to talk up the virtues of gas as a transitional fuel, and they used to talk about carbon capture and storage (CCS) as technology that governments needed to invest in to drive the transition to low-emissions economies.

The great botch-up is now well past infancy, and Australia’s record on climate and energy is a disaster so profound it’s still traumatising backstage protagonists years after the stadium rock wreckers have left the crime scene.

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Pace will slow for first time in 20 years with fewer windfarms and solar plants being built but rebound possible in 2021

The global growth of renewable energy will slow for the first time in 20 years due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which will “hurt but not halt” the rise of clean energy.

The world’s energy watchdog has warned that developers will build fewer wind farms and solar energy projects this year compared with a record roll out of renewables in 2019.

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Julien Vincent from Market Forces on the campaign to get banks, investment houses and superannuation funds to switch away from fossil fuels and into new clean technologies.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Could Market Forces bring an end to coal and gas? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

REST Energy is seeking expressions of interest from interested parties for a PPA for its 120MW Munna Creek Solar Farm in Queensland.

The post Rest Energy seeks PPAs for Queensland solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

In the panic and anxiety of those early days of the pandemic, fossil fuel advocates were calmly and openly forming a plan to capture the process of economic recovery.

The post How to change the colour of Australia’s Coronavirus climate recovery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Some of Australia's largest industrial manufacturers could make the switch to 100 per cent renewables under a $3.5 billion green hydrogen plant proposal.

The post Massive 1000MW “baseload” wind, solar and hydrogen plant pitched for NSW appeared first on RenewEconomy.