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Covid-19 could trigger largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions in 2020 – but even this would not come close to bringing the 1.5°C global temperature limit within reach.

The post Coronavirus set to cause largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

With only two northern white rhinos left in the world - both female - extinction seems a certainty.

Australia consumers face solid rise in prices for Tesla electric cars thanks to falling dollar, as Musk battens down the hatches in face of Covid-19 pandemic.

The post Tesla lifts Australia prices after dollar falls, flags stand-downs and salary cuts appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New "super-peak" contract hailed as a landmark deal that will open up market for renewable supporting technologies such as batteries and hydro.

The post New “super peak” contracts open new markets for batteries and hydro appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Witnesses accuse government of covering up severity of blaze near site of nuclear disaster

Wildfires in Ukraine have spread to just over a mile from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant and a disposal site for radioactive waste, according to activists, as more than 300 firefighters work to contain the blaze.

A video posted by a Chernobyl tour operator showed flames and a cloud of smoke rising within sight of the protective shelter over the carcass of Chernobyl’s Unit 4 nuclear reactor, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history.

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Knee-jerk responses to water insecurity won't fix the basin. The harder and longer path is delivering real water reform, including transparent water planning enshrined in law. Quentin Grafton, Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A deadly pathogen affecting Europe's olive trees could cost over 20 billion euros.

The blazes, burning for several days, also threaten the storage depot for the most dangerous waste.

Speculators cut California Carbon Allowance (CCA) holdings for a fourth straight week amid further volatile trading, with compliance entities growing their position, US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data showed Friday.

A three-ply chord fragment made from bark was spotted on a stone tool recovered at a cave in France.

In a milestone for drought-stricken communities in New South Wales, the waters of the Murray River and the Darling River in NSW have joined for the first time in two years, prompting celebrations among residents of affected towns. The Murray and Darling rivers’ true meeting place is in the town of Wentworth. Its deputy mayor, Tim Elstone, said the water still had about 70km to run until it met the Murray. “It’s not reached all the way through yet – we’ll expect it Thursday or Friday – but we’re all happy, no worries about that.”  

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All-electric Porsche Taycan is on track for Australia for Q4 2020, despite temporary closures of German factories due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The post Porsche Taycan still on track for Australia in 2020 after bagging two awards appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia reaches more than 50% renewables on a low-demand Easter Saturday. Within a decade, this will be the country's average share of renewables.

The post Australia renewables hit 50% of main grid’s net demand on Easter Saturday appeared first on RenewEconomy.

More than $80bn of investment decisions are delayed due to a collapsed oil price and a geopolitical price war

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The extraordinary growth in Australia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, the main cause of recent rises in national greenhouse gas emissions, has stalled indefinitely, with decisions on more than $80bn of investments delayed due to a collapsed oil price sunk by coronavirus and a geopolitical price war.

The price of Brent crude oil is less than half what it was in early January, having fallen again on Friday despite the Opec oil cartel and its allies reaching a supply deal to stop Saudi Arabia and Russia flooding the world with more oil than it can use. The Asian spot price for LNG, which is linked to the oil benchmark, is down about two-thirds in six months.

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Enhanced images reveal life aboard Nasa's stricken Apollo 13 spacecraft in unprecedented detail.

The overwhelming majority of us say we care about animal welfare. But when it comes to shopping, our actions often take a different turn. Amelia Cornish, PhD student, University of Sydney Bidda Jones, Honorary Associate in Animal Welfare, University of Sydney Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Tasmania Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Greens asked officials to calculate the cost of shutting down the native forest timber industry immediately rather than 2030 as planned

Ending native forest logging in Victoria immediately, rather than phasing it out by 2030 as the state government plans, would save taxpayers $192m over the next decade, according to an estimate by the state’s independent budget office.

The Victorian Greens asked the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to calculate what it would cost to shut down the native forest timber industry in the state now, including bringing forward the government’s promised $120m transition package for the industry and workers.

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Steep falls in emissions have been the pandemic’s immediate effect. But what’s needed is a green recovery

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So far, discussions of a coronavirus exit strategy have mainly focused on the steps that could bring an end to the lockdown. In the short term, both in the UK and elsewhere, there is nothing more desirable than letting people resume their lives, once it is safe to do so.

But the speed of the “return to normal” is not the only thing that matters. The manner in which the world’s leaders manage the colossal economic and political shocks caused by the virus is also of the utmost importance. And at the top of their list of priorities, alongside human welfare, must be the biosphere and its future.

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Reduction of 5% would represent biggest drop in demand for fossil fuel on record

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Global carbon emissions from the fossil fuel industry could fall by a record 2.5b tonnes this year, a reduction of 5%, as the coronavirus pandemic triggers the biggest drop in demand for fossil fuels on record.

The unprecedented restrictions on travel, work and industry due to the coronavirus is expected to cut billions of barrels of oil, trillions of cubic metres of gas and millions of tonnes of coal from the global energy system in 2020 alone, according to data commissioned by the Guardian.

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The US president signed an order this week stating Americans had rights to use resources in space.