Around The Web

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

Regulator's report shows early signs of a dramatic fall in new large-scale renewables investment, to lowest level since mid-2016.

The post A tale of two markets: Rooftop PV smashes records as large-scale wind, solar slow down appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Morrison Government is pleased to announce the appointments of Mr Eric Groom PSM and Mr Justin Oliver as full-time Commonwealth members of the Australian Energy Regulator.

The post Appointment of Commonwealth members to the Australian Energy Regulator appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AEMC seems to view distributed energy as a problem rather than an opportunity when it comes to maintaining system resilience in the face of weather events or cyberattacks.

The post Energy rule-maker rues reality, rejects real reform in S.A. blackout response appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Exclusive: forest regrowth can reabsorb emissions from fires but scientists fear natural carbon ‘sinks’ have been compromised

Bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland have emitted a massive pulse of CO2 into the atmosphere since August that is equivalent to almost half of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, Guardian Australia can reveal.

Analysis by Nasa shows the NSW fires have emitted about 195m tonnes of CO2 since 1 August, with Queensland’s fires adding a further 55m tonnes over the same period.

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EU leaders have failed to achieve consensus on targeting net zero emissions by 2050, declaring a deal had been reached but acknowledging that one member state was unable to commit to the goal at this point.

Australians spent $400 million on unwanted Christmas gifts last year. There must be a better way. Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Martin Grimmer, Professor of Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Snowy Hydro has claimed that its massive “Snowy 2.0” pumped hydro scheme will reduce emissions by storing renewable electricity. Is this correct?

The post Snowy 2.0 will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Australia: truth or lie? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A study of North America's only native parrot confirms its disappearance was down to humans alone.

Talks in Madrid enter their final day with serious divisions between large emitting countries and small island states

EU carbon prices bounced back above €25 on Thursday, recovering all of the previous day's losses after hitting a six-day low this morning, as wider energy prices rebounded from their recent streak of declines and the market readied for the UK election results and their impact.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator on Thursday issued new baselines for several facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism, allowing most of them to increase their CO2 emissions, including three of those that were forced to buy carbon credits to meet their targets last year.

While the increased intensity of bushfires might be the headline-grabbing consequences of climate change at the moment, there's also a "silent extinction" unfolding in our oceans.

Colorado's National Eagle Repository is the only one of its kind in the world.

It's time to look back on the year that was. Marc Fennell and Madeleine Genner bring us the sounds of the year.

Decmil shares slump after revealing it was latest contractor to be hit by delays in solar farm commissioning, this time with the big Sunraysia project in NSW.

The post Decmil shares slump after problems at huge Sunraysia solar project appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tough new rules requiring resource companies to progressively rehabilitate as they mine came into effect in Queensland last month.

January’s start of carbon allowance sales for the EU’s Innovation Fund is being delayed due to “necessary practical arrangements” not yet being in place, auction host EEX announced late Thursday.

Campaigners frustrated at how women and indigenous people have struggled to have voices heard

Youth climate activists have called for a global strike on Friday to protest that human rights and social justice have been sidelined at the UN climate talks in Madrid, where governments look set to wrap up two weeks of negotiations without a breakthrough on the pressing issue of greenhouse gas reduction.

Campaigners have been frustrated not only at the slow progress of the talks but also that groups representing women, indigenous people and poor people have struggled to have their voices heard within the conference halls where the official negotiations are taking place, even while 500,000 people took part in a mass protest in the streets outside last Friday.

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Negotiations on the rulebook with International emission trade plodded along in Madrid on Thursday, as slow progress on other elements of operationalising the Paris Agreement solicited fears the UN Climate Summit would once again run well into the weekend.