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Just as thermal coal can be replaced with clean energy from renewables, we can use low-emissions steel manufacturing to phase out metallurgical coal. Dominique Hes, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Architecture, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia is heating faster than the global average, and extreme heat days are on the rise. Doctors say there’s clear evidence that it’s killing people prematurely

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Farmers and consumers know they cannot believe the prime minister’s assurances over post-Brexit standards

Most people pay little attention to the chain of production that brings food to their plates. Americans eat tonnes of chicken every year, unaware of, or unconcerned by, the chemical rinse applied to its pre-cooked carcass. British consumers might also eat chlorine-washed chicken if they had acquired the habit, but since they haven’t the idea is unappetising. This is a problem in transatlantic trade talks because US agribusiness wants access to UK dining tables. The politics of serving food prepared to US safety standards is tricky on a number of levels. Alongside chlorinated chicken, the use of growth-promoting hormones and antibiotics in meat production are more tightly regulated in Europe than in many countries that want to export their surplus meat. After Brexit, the UK can abandon EU standards, but if it does so it will find its produce barred from continental markets.

Eurosceptics call that protectionism, and partly it is. European food safety standards have a scientific rationale – the idea is that hygiene should be maintained all along the chain, not dealt with at the last stage by blasting microbes with disinfectant. But those rules are bundled up with a system that insulates the sector from global competition. The EU subsidises farmers, recognising how destabilising it would be if a glut of cheap American produce was dumped on their markets. Some Eurosceptics embrace that destabilisation as an economic tonic, others deny it would happen. Pro-leave campaigners advertised cheaper food as a benefit of Brexit, omitting to explain that a price would be paid by farmers. That sleight of hand was easier to accomplish in propaganda than as government policy. The National Farmers’ Union vehemently opposes lowering regulatory barriers to American produce. The NFU president, Minette Batters, this week said doing so would be “insane” and “morally bankrupt”. Downing Street insists high standards will be maintained, but Boris Johnson wants a trade deal with the US and is not renowned for keeping his word. George Eustice, the environment secretary, tries to assuage farmers’ fears without giving them explicit guarantees.

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Wild Justice takes legal action citing ‘ecological assault’ and harm to rare wildlife from mass release of shoots’ birds

Environmental campaigners have issued a legal case against the government to try to halt the release of more than 50m non-native game birds this summer, saying the birds could damage Britain’s most important wildlife sites.

Wild Justice, a campaign group led by the environmentalists Chris Packham, Mark Avery, and Ruth Tingay, said the annual release of 47m pheasants and 10m red-legged partridges was “unlawful” without proper assessment of the ecological impacts the animals had on protected areas.

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EU progress on green taxation and carbon pricing “remains modest” at member state level, according to a European Commission report on Wednesday that analyses each country's key economic challenges.

George Eustice rejects need for inquiry as NFU president calls for ‘seismic investment’

The government has rejected calls for a public inquiry into the flooding disaster, arguing it has the crisis under control.

The environment secretary, George Eustice, came under sustained attack at the National Farmers’ Union annual conference but said the government had already saved thousands of homes from flooding and would be spending “record” amounts on future defences.

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Jeremy Corbyn has called out the prime minister for not visiting victims of the UK's recent flooding and accused him of only 'pretending to care'. The Labour party leader called Boris Johnson a 'part-time prime minister', also noting his absences during the London riots and when Qassem Suleimani was killed

• Full story: Corbyn criticises Johnson's response to floods

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EUAs fell below €24 and were headed for a third straight daily drop on coronavirus concerns early on Wednesday, though losses slowed after a strong Polish auction showed signs of bargain-hunting.

The toxin has endangered hundreds of thousands of kids. But parents in the hardest-hit neighborhoods may never be warned of the threat

Shanaya Ball did everything right during her pregnancy: she attended check-ups, ate well, and kitted out the nursery for her son Amari, who was born in March 2017.

But by his first birthday, Amari had failed to meet almost every developmental milestone, and was unable to play, communicate or move like other infants.

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South Korea has approved the first batch of Korean-owned CDM projects abroad that can generate carbon credits for the domestic emissions market.

World’s second biggest miner says it will reduce emissions by 15% by 2030, but ‘will not set targets for our customers’

Mining giant Rio Tinto says it wants its globe-spanning operations to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will spend US$1bn over the next five years to reduce its carbon footprint.

The second biggest miner in the world has also committed to reducing its emissions by 15% by 2030.

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Former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres awarded the Gold Medal for Human Rights by the Sydney Peace Foundation.

The post Former UN climate chief receives human rights award from Sydney Peace Foundation appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Sir Richard Branson's firm says it is releasing more tickets for flights into space.

Sun Cable could provide Australia an alternative to the export business of coal and gas, and even reduce our export dependence on China. John Mathews, Professor of Strategic Management, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Macquarie University Elizabeth Thurbon, Scientia Fellow and Associate Professor in International Relations / International Political Economy, UNSW Hao Tan, Associate professor, University of Newcastle Sung-Young Kim, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern History, Politics & International Relations, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Evergen has reinforced its focus on innovation and technology with two new hires – Solution Architect Lucy Carpinelli and Senior Software Engineer Emad Nashed.

The post Energy disrupter Evergen attracts hires with dynamic trading expertise appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Resources minister Keith Pitt advocates for the most expensive option for new power generation in Australia. Labor says he is delusional.

The post Keith Pitt labelled “delusional” for ignoring costs of unproven “clean coal” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

ARENA says it has chosen preferred pumped hydro storage project in South Australia, but won't release name until negotiations for $40m grant are complete.

The post ARENA says it has chosen preferred pumped hydro project in South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Western Power to install another 100 solar and battery-based stand alone power systems on grid in state's Mid-West, Goldfields, eastern Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions.

The post Another 100 stand-alone solar and battery systems to be installed by Western Power appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A group of experts has called for the ban in response to ‘climate, fire and drought’ but others say it is a ‘simplistic solution to a complex problem’

A group of forestry and climate scientists are calling for an immediate and permanent end to the logging of all native forests across Australia as part of a response to climate change and the country’s bushfire crisis.

In an open letter, the group said forestry workers involved in logging in native forests should be redeployed to support the management of national parks.

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National Parks Association of NSW argues there are serious flaws in Snowy 2.0 business and environmental case and calls for an independent review of the project.

The post “Worst possible project in worst possible location” – NPA slams Snowy 2.0 appeared first on RenewEconomy.